Simultaneous and enantioselective determination of cis-epoxiconazole and indoxacarb residues in various teas, tea infusion and soil samples by chiral high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinzhong; Luo, Fengjian; Lou, Zhengyun; Lu, Meiling; Chen, Zongmao

2014-09-12

A novel and sensitive method for simultaneous enantiomeric analysis of two pesticides-cis-epoxiconazole and indoxacarb-in various teas, black tea infusion, and soil samples has been developed. The samples were initially subjected to acetonitrile extraction followed by cleanup using lab-made florisil/graphitized carbon black mixed solid phase extraction (SPE) column (for the different teas and soil samples) and a BondElut C18-SPE column (for the black tea infusion samples). Separation of the analytes was performed on a chiral stationary phase using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) under a reversed-phase isocratic elution mode followed by tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF/MS) detection. The mobile phase components, mobile phase ratios, flow rates, column temperatures, and MS parameters were all optimized to reach high sensitivity and selectivity, good peak shape, and satisfactory resolution. The performance of the method was evaluated based on the sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and matrix effects. Under optimal conditions, for the various teas (green tea, black tea, and puer tea), fresh tea leaf, soil and black tea infusion samples spiked at low, medium, and high levels, the mean recoveries for the four enantiomers ranged from 61.0% to 129.7% with most relative standard deviations (RSDs) being 17.1% or below. Good linearity can be achieved with regression coefficients (R) of 0.9915 or above for all target enantiomers, and matrix-matched calibration concentration ranging from 5.0 to 1000μg/L. The limits of detection (LODs) for all four target enantiomers were 1.4μg/kg or below in the different teas and soil samples and 0.05μg/kg or below in the black tea infusion, whereas the limits of quantification (LOQs) for those did not exceed 5.0μg/kg and 0.2μg/L, respectively. The proposed method is convenient and reliable and has been applied to real tea samples screening. It has also been extended for studies on the degradation kinetics and environmental behaviors in the field trials, providing additional information for reliable risk assessment of these chiral pesticides. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oxidation Stability of Pig Liver Pâté with Increasing Levels of Natural Antioxidants (Grape and Tea)

PubMed Central

Pateiro, Mirian; Lorenzo, José M.; Vázquez, José A.; Franco, Daniel

2015-01-01

The present study investigated the effect of the addition of increasing levels of the natural antioxidants tea (TEA) and grape seed extracts (GRA) on the physiochemical and oxidative stability of refrigerated stored pig pâtés. In addition, a synthetic antioxidant and a control batch were used, thus a total of eight batches of liver pâté were prepared: CON, BHT, TEA (TEA50, TEA200 and TEA1000) and GRA (GRA50, GRA200 and GRA1000). Pâté samples were analyzed following 0, 4, 8 and 24 weeks of storage. Color parameters were affected by storage period and level of antioxidant extract. Samples with TEA200 and GRA1000 levels of extracts showed lower total color difference between 0 and 24 weeks. At the end of storage period, the lower TBARs values were obtained in samples with the highest concentration on natural extract. Overall, the evolution of volatile compounds showed an increase in those ones that arise from the lipid oxidation and samples with TEA1000 extract showed the lowest values. PMID:26785340

On sampling biases arising from insufficient bottle flushing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Codispoti, L. A.; Paver, C. R.

2016-02-01

Collection of representative water samples using carousel bottles is important for accurately determining biological and chemical gradients. The development of more technologically advanced instrumentation and sampling apparatus causes sampling packages to increase and "soak times" to decrease, increasing the probability that insufficient bottle flushing will produce biased results. Qualitative evidence from various expeditions suggest that insufficient flushing may be a problem. Here we report on multiple field experiments that were conducted to better quantify the errors that can arise from insufficient bottle flushing. Our experiments suggest that soak times of more than 2 minutes are sometimes required to collect a representative sample.

Post-consumer contamination in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) milk bottles and the design of a bottle-to-bottle recycling process.

PubMed

Welle, F

2005-10-01

Six hundred conventional recycled HDPE flake samples, which were recollected and sorted in the UK, were screened for post-consumer contamination levels. Each analysed sample consisted of 40-50 individual flakes so that the amount of analysed individual containers was in the range 24,000-30,000 post-consumer milk bottles. Predominant contaminants in hot-washed flake samples were unsaturated oligomers, which can be also be found in virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pellet samples used for milk bottle production. In addition, the flavour compound limonene, the degradation product of antioxidant additives di-tert-butylphenol and low amounts of saturated oligomers were found in higher concentrations in the post-consumer samples in comparison with virgin HDPE. However, the overall concentrations in post-consumer recycled samples were similar to or lower than concentration ranges in comparison with virgin HDPE. Contamination with other HDPE untypical compounds was rare and was in most cases related to non-milk bottles, which are <2.1% of the input material of the recycling process. The maximum concentration found in one sample of 1 g was estimated as 130 mg kg(-1), which corresponds to a contamination of 5200-6500 mg kg(-1) in the individual bottle. The recycling process investigated was based on an efficient sorting process, a hot-washing of the ground bottles, and a further deep-cleaning of the flakes with high temperatures and vacuum. Based on the fact that the contamination levels of post-consumer flake samples are similar to virgin HDPE and on the high cleaning efficiency of the super-clean recycling process especially for highly volatile compounds, the recycling process investigated is suitable for recycled post-consumer HDPE bottles for direct food-contact applications. However, hand-picking after automatically sorting is recommended to decrease the amount of non-milk bottles. The conclusions for suitability are valid, provided that the migration testing of recyclate contains milk bottles up to 100% and that both shelf-life testing and sensorial testing of the products are successful, which are topics of further investigations.

The Study of Fingerprint Characteristics of Dayi Pu-Erh Tea Using a Fully Automatic HS-SPME/GC–MS and Combined Chemometrics Method

PubMed Central

Lv, Shidong; Wu, Yuanshuang; Zhou, Jiangsheng; Lian, Ming; Li, Changwen; Xu, Yongquan; Liu, Shunhang; Wang, Chao; Meng, Qingxiong

2014-01-01

The quality of tea is presently evaluated by the sensory assessment of professional tea tasters, however, this approach is both inconsistent and inaccurate. A more standardized and efficient method is urgently needed to objectively evaluate tea quality. In this study, the chemical fingerprint of 7 different Dayi Pu-erh tea brands and 3 different Ya'an tea brands on the market were analyzed using fully automatic headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A total of 78 volatiles were separated, among 75 volatiles were identified by GC–MS in seven Dayi Pu-erh teas, and the major chemical components included methoxyphenolic compounds, hydrocarbons, and alcohol compounds, such as 1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene, 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene, 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-pentadecane, linalool and its oxides, α-terpineol, and phytol. The overlapping ratio of peaks (ORP) of the chromatogram in the seven Dayi Pu-erh tea samples was greater than 89.55%, whereas the ORP of Ya'an tea samples was less than 79.10%. The similarity and differences of the Dayi Pu-erh tea samples were also characterized using correlation coefficient similarity and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the correlation coefficient of similarity of the seven Dayi Pu-erh tea samples was greater than 0.820 and was gathered in a specific area, which showed that samples from different brands were basically the same, despite have some slightly differences of chemical indexes was found. These results showed that the GC-MS fingerprint combined with the PCA approach can be used as an effective tool for the quality assessment and control of Pu-erh tea. PMID:25551231

Immobilized tannase treatment alters polyphenolic composition in teas and their potential anti-obesity and hypoglycemic activities in vitro.

PubMed

Roberto, Bruna Sampaio; Macedo, Gabriela Alves; Macedo, Juliana Alves; Martins, Isabela Mateus; Nakajima, Vânia Mayumi; Allwood, J William; Stewart, Derek; McDougall, Gordon J

2016-09-14

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of immobilized-tannase treatment on black, green, white and mate tea components and on their bioactivities relevant to obesity. Tannase treatment caused predictable changes in polyphenol composition with substantial reduction in galloylated catechins in green, white and black tea. Mate tea, which is rich in chlorogenic acids, was much less affected by tannase treatment although some degradation of caffeoyl quinic acid derivatives was noted. The original tea samples were effective in inhibiting digestive enzymes in vitro. They inhibited amylase activity, some with IC50 values ∼70 μg mL(-1), but were much less effective against α-glucosidase. They also inhibited lipase activity in vitro and caused dose-dependent reductions in lipid accumulation in cultured adipocytes. The bio-transformed tea samples generally matched the effectiveness of the original samples but in some cases they were markedly improved. In particular, tannase treatment reduced the IC50 value for amylase inhibition for green tea and white tea by 15- and 6-fold respectively. In addition, the bio-transformed samples were more effective than the original samples in preventing lipid accumulation in adipocytes. These in vitro studies indicate that bio-transformed tea polyphenols could assist in the management of obesity through improvement in energy uptake and lipid metabolism and also indicate that biotechnological modification of natural food molecules can improve the benefits of a common beverage such as tea.

Brewing and volatiles analysis of three tea beers indicate a potential interaction between tea components and lager yeast.

PubMed

Rong, Lei; Peng, Li-Juan; Ho, Chi-Tang; Yan, Shou-He; Meurens, Marc; Zhang, Zheng-Zhu; Li, Da-Xiang; Wan, Xiao-Chun; Bao, Guan-Hu; Gao, Xue-Ling; Ling, Tie-Jun

2016-04-15

Green tea, oolong tea and black tea were separately introduced to brew three kinds of tea beers. A model was designed to investigate the tea beer flavour character. Comparison of the volatiles between the sample of tea beer plus water mixture (TBW) and the sample of combination of tea infusion and normal beer (CTB) was accomplished by triangular sensory test and HS-SPME GC-MS analysis. The PCA of GC-MS data not only showed a significant difference between volatile features of each TBW and CTB group, but also suggested some key compounds to distinguish TBW from CTB. The results of GC-MS showed that the relative concentrations of many typical tea volatiles were significantly changed after the brewing process. More interestingly, the behaviour of yeast fermentation was influenced by tea components. A potential interaction between tea components and lager yeast could be suggested. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data on green tea flavor determinantes as affected by cultivars and manufacturing processes.

PubMed

Han, Zhuo-Xiao; Rana, Mohammad M; Liu, Guo-Feng; Gao, Ming-Jun; Li, Da-Xiang; Wu, Fu-Guang; Li, Xin-Bao; Wan, Xiao-Chun; Wei, Shu

2017-02-01

This paper presents data related to an article entitled "Green tea flavor determinants and their changes over manufacturing processes" (Han et al., 2016) [1]. Green tea samples were prepared with steaming and pan firing treatments from the tender leaves of tea cultivars 'Bai-Sang Cha' ('BAS') and 'Fuding-Dabai Cha' ('FUD'). Aroma compounds from the tea infusions were detected and quantified using HS-SPME coupled with GC/MS. Sensory evaluation was also made for characteristic tea flavor. The data shows the abundances of the detected aroma compounds, their threshold values and odor characteristics in the two differently processed tea samples as well as two different cultivars.

Effect of different brewing times on antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of loosely packed and bagged black teas (Camellia sinensis L.).

PubMed

Nikniaz, Zeinab; Mahdavi, Reza; Ghaemmaghami, Seyed Jamal; Lotfi Yagin, Neda; Nikniaz, Leila

2016-01-01

Determination and comparison of the effect of infusion time on the antioxidant activity and total polyphenol contents of bagged and loosely packed black teas. For twenty loosely packed and eleven bagged tea samples, the antioxidant activity and total polyphenol content were analyzed using FRAP and Folin-Ciocalteau methods, respectively. The ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test and independent t-test were used for statistical analysis. The antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of various brands of tea samples were significantly different. There were significant differences in the antioxidant activity of loosely packed teas between 5, 15(p=0.03), 30(p=0.02) and 60(p=0.007) minutes of brewing times. Besides, there was a significant difference in antioxidant activity of bagged samples infused for 1 minute with four other infusion time points (p<0.001). In the case of polyphenol content, in loosely-packed tea samples, there were not significant differences between different brewing times (p=0.15). However, in bagged samples, the polyphenol contents of samples that were brewed for 1 minute were significantly lower than samples brewed for 3, 4, and 5 minutes (p<0.05). The antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of tea bags were significantly higher than those ofloosely-packed forms of the same brands at 5-min of brewing time (p<0.001). The infusion time and the form of tea (loosely packed or bagged) were shown to be important determinants of the antioxidant activity and polyphenol content of black tea infusions in addition to the variety, growing environment and manufacturing conditions.

Calciphytoliths (calcium oxalate crystals) analysis for the identification of decayed tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.).

PubMed

Zhang, Jianping; Lu, Houyuan; Huang, Linpei

2014-10-24

The history of tea is poorly known, mainly due to the questionable identification of decayed tea plants in archaeological samples. This paper attempts to test the utility of calciphytoliths (calcium oxalate crystals) for the identification of tea in archaeological samples. It provides the first survey of the macropatterns of calciphytoliths in several species of Theaceae and common non-Theaceae plants. Crystals were extracted from 45 samples of tea, Theaceae and common non-Theaceae plants, and detected microscopically between crossed polarizers. In tea plants, druse and trichome base are the most distinctive crystals. Druses have the smallest diameter (11.65 ± 3.64 μm), and trichome bases have four distinctive straight and regular cracks, similar to a regular extinction cross. The results provide morphological criteria for distinguishing tea from other plants, specifically the presence of identifiable druses together with calcified trichome bases. The implications are significant for understanding the history of tea and plant exploitation, especially for plants for which the preservation of macrofossils is poor.

Analyses of fungal community by Illumina MiSeq platforms and characterization of Eurotium species on Liupao tea, a distinctive post-fermented tea from China.

PubMed

Mao, Yan; Wei, BaoYao; Teng, JianWen; Huang, Li; Xia, Ning

2017-09-01

Liupao tea is a distinctive Chinese dark tea obtained by indigenous tea fermentation facilitated by the symbiotic association of bacteria and fungi. The composition of fungal community in 4 Liupao tea samples stored for several years under natural microbial fermentation was evaluated by MiSeq sequencing. Taxonomic analysis revealed 3 phyla, 6 families, 8 genera. The genera Eurotium and Aspergillus were dominant fungi in almost all the samples. A total of 85 strains found in 41 other tea samples were species of Eurotium. amstelodami, Eurotium. niveoglaucum, Eurotium. repens, Eurotium. rubrum, Eurotium. tonophilum and Eurotium. cristatum by culture-dependent method. Of these species, E. repens, E. rubrum and E. tonophilum have not been previously associated with Liupao tea. This report is the first to reveal fungal flora composition using Illumina-based sequencing and provide useful information for relevant studies on the isolation of Eurotium species in Liupao tea. The predominant molds are Eurotium species, and the comparison of fungal diversity in dark teas is worth considering. The taxonomic analysis of the microbial community would also aid the further study of functional genes and metabolic pathways of Liupao tea fermentation. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of various teas on color stability of resin composites.

PubMed

Dinç Ata, Gül; Gokay, Osman; Müjdeci, Arzu; Kivrak, Tugba Congara; Mokhtari Tavana, Armin

2017-12-01

To investigate the effect of various teas on color stability of resin composites. Two methacrylate-based (Arabesk Top, Grandio) and a silorane-based (Filtek Silorane) resin composites were used. 110 cylindrical samples of each resin composite were prepared (2 mm thickness and 8 mm diameter), polished and stored in distilled water (37°C for 24 hours). They were randomly divided into 11 groups (n= 10) and color measurements were taken. Then the samples were immersed in tap water (control), a black tea, a green tea or one of the eight herbal-fruit teas (37°C for 1 week) and subsequently subjected to the final color measurements. The color change of samples (ΔE*) was calculated, data were subjected to two-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD tests. Teas, resin composites and their interactions were significant (P= 0.000). All the teas and control caused color changes in all three resin composites. Rosehip tea caused the most color changes, while tap water showed the least in all resin composites. Arabesk Top had the most staining potential in all the teas and control, whereas Filtek Silorane was the most stain resistant except Grandio immersed in sage tea. Color stability of all resin composites used were affected from both structure of resin materials and constituents of teas used. All resin composites were susceptible to staining by all teas especially rosehip tea. Arabesk Top composite showed the greatest color susceptibility in all teas and Filtek Silorane the least with one exception. Color of resin composites can be negatively affected from teas consumed. Clinicians should advise patients that drinking different kind of teas could intensify surface staining of resin based restorations.

Authentication of Botanical Origin in Herbal Teas by Plastid Noncoding DNA Length Polymorphisms.

PubMed

Uncu, Ali Tevfik; Uncu, Ayse Ozgur; Frary, Anne; Doganlar, Sami

2015-07-01

The aim of this study was to develop a DNA barcode assay to authenticate the botanical origin of herbal teas. To reach this aim, we tested the efficiency of a PCR-capillary electrophoresis (PCR-CE) approach on commercial herbal tea samples using two noncoding plastid barcodes, the trnL intron and the intergenic spacer between trnL and trnF. Barcode DNA length polymorphisms proved successful in authenticating the species origin of herbal teas. We verified the validity of our approach by sequencing species-specific barcode amplicons from herbal tea samples. Moreover, we displayed the utility of PCR-CE assays coupled with sequencing to identify the origin of undeclared plant material in herbal tea samples. The PCR-CE assays proposed in this work can be applied as routine tests for the verification of botanical origin in herbal teas and can be extended to authenticate all types of herbal foodstuffs.

Evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes survival in ice cream mixes flavored with herbal tea using Taguchi method.

PubMed

Ozturk, Ismet; Golec, Adem; Karaman, Safa; Sagdic, Osman; Kayacier, Ahmed

2010-10-01

In this study, the effects of the incorporation of some herbal teas at different concentrations into the ice cream mix on the population of Listeria monocytogenes were studied using Taguchi method. The ice cream mix samples flavored with herbal teas were prepared using green tea and sage at different concentrations. Afterward, fresh culture of L. monocytogenes was inoculated into the samples and the L. monocytogenes was counted at different storage periods. Taguchi method was used for experimental design and analysis. In addition, some physicochemical properties of samples were examined. Results suggested that there was some effect, although little, on the population of L. monocytogenes when herbal tea was incorporated into the ice cream mix. Additionally, the use of herbal tea caused a decrease in the pH values of the samples and significant changes in the color values.

Solid phase extraction of large volume of water and beverage samples to improve detection limits for GC-MS analysis of bisphenol A and four other bisphenols.

PubMed

Cao, Xu-Liang; Popovic, Svetlana

2018-01-01

Solid phase extraction (SPE) of large volumes of water and beverage products was investigated for the GC-MS analysis of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol E (BPE), and bisphenol B (BPB). While absolute recoveries of the method were improved for water and some beverage products (e.g. diet cola, iced tea), breakthrough may also have occurred during SPE of 200 mL of other beverages (e.g. BPF in cola). Improvements in method detection limits were observed with the analysis of large sample volumes for all bisphenols at ppt (pg/g) to sub-ppt levels. This improvement was found to be proportional to sample volumes for water and beverage products with less interferences and noise levels around the analytes. Matrix effects and interferences were observed during SPE of larger volumes (100 and 200 mL) of the beverage products, and affected the accurate analysis of BPF. This improved method was used to analyse bisphenols in various beverage samples, and only BPA was detected, with levels ranging from 0.022 to 0.030 ng/g for products in PET bottles, and 0.085 to 0.32 ng/g for products in cans.

A comparison of aluminum levels in tea products from Hong Kong markets and in varieties of tea plants from Hong Kong and India.

PubMed

Fung, K F; Carr, H P; Poon, B H T; Wong, M H

2009-05-01

This study project aimed to investigate the concentrations of aluminum (Al) in tea products available in Hong Kong markets. Tea samples consisting of 47 different tea bags and 28 samples of tea leaves were analysed for concentrations of Al. All tea samples released Al (0.70-5.93 mg L(-1)) during a standard infusion period. In comparison to the Joint FAO/WHO Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake guideline of 7 mg Al kg(-1) body weight, it was concluded that tea made with these tea leaves will not impose adverse human health impacts. The relative effects of age, soil available Al, and genetic differences on the levels of Al accumulated by tea bushes were investigated. It was found that there was no definite trend between the amount of Al accumulated and the age of tea bushes. The soil available Al influenced the levels of Al in Camellia sinensis to a certain extent, but it was evident that the ability of different varieties of C. sinensis to accumulate Al was variable. C. sinensis accumulated Al in all stages of growth. Young seedlings had lower contents of Al while the mobility of Al within the tea bushes was high. In a manner typical of hyperaccumulators, Al was not retained in the roots, but was consistently transported to the shoots. Aluminum in the tea bush was distributed between the different parts in the following order: mature leaves>roots>branches>young leaves.

The Effect of LAB as Probiotic Starter Culture and Green Tea Extract Addition on Dry Fermented Pork Loins Quality.

PubMed

Neffe-Skocińska, Katarzyna; Jaworska, Danuta; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew; Jachacz-Jówko, Luiza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory quality of dry fermented pork loin produced with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus LOCK900 probiotic strain, 0.2% glucose, and 1.5% green tea extract. Three loins were prepared: control sample (P0: no additives), sample supplemented with glucose and probiotic strain (P1), and sample with glucose, green tea extract, and probiotic (P2). The samples were analyzed after 21 days of ripening and 180 days of storage. The results indicated that the highest count of LAB was observed both in the samples: with probiotic and with probiotic and green tea extract (7.00 log cfu/g after ripening; 6.00 log cfu/g after storage). The oxidation-reduction potential values were lower in the probiotic loin samples. Probiotic and green tea extract have not caused color changes of study loins during storage. The study demonstrated that an addition of probiotic and green tea extract to dry fermented loins is possible and had no impact on sensory quality after product storage.

The Effect of LAB as Probiotic Starter Culture and Green Tea Extract Addition on Dry Fermented Pork Loins Quality

PubMed Central

Jaworska, Danuta; Kołożyn-Krajewska, Danuta; Dolatowski, Zbigniew; Jachacz-Jówko, Luiza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory quality of dry fermented pork loin produced with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus LOCK900 probiotic strain, 0.2% glucose, and 1.5% green tea extract. Three loins were prepared: control sample (P0: no additives), sample supplemented with glucose and probiotic strain (P1), and sample with glucose, green tea extract, and probiotic (P2). The samples were analyzed after 21 days of ripening and 180 days of storage. The results indicated that the highest count of LAB was observed both in the samples: with probiotic and with probiotic and green tea extract (7.00 log cfu/g after ripening; 6.00 log cfu/g after storage). The oxidation-reduction potential values were lower in the probiotic loin samples. Probiotic and green tea extract have not caused color changes of study loins during storage. The study demonstrated that an addition of probiotic and green tea extract to dry fermented loins is possible and had no impact on sensory quality after product storage. PMID:25961018

Tea consumption is inversely associated with weight status and other markers for Metabolic Syndrome in U.S. adults1

PubMed Central

Vernarelli, Jacqueline A.; Lambert, Joshua D.

2012-01-01

Purpose Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a widely consumed beverage, and laboratory and some intervention studies have indicated the potential health benefits of hot tea. The present study examines the association between tea consumption (evaluating hot and iced tea independently) and markers for MetS adults in a sample of 6,472 who participated in the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) surveys. Methods Tea consumption was evaluated using food frequency questionnaires and 24-hour dietary recalls. Seventy percent of the sample reported any consumption of iced tea, and 16% were daily consumers; whereas approximately 56% of this sample reported hot tea consumption and 9% were daily consumers. Results Hot tea consumption was inversely associated with obesity: tea consumers had lower mean waist circumference and lower BMI (25 vs. 28 kg/m2 in men; 26 vs. 29 kg/m2 in women; both P<0.001), than non-consumers after controlling for age, physical activity, total energy intake, and other confounders. For iced tea consumption, the association was reversed: increased iced tea consumption was associated with higher BMI, greater waist circumference, and greater subcutaneous skinfold thickness after controlling for age, physical activity, energy intake, sugar intake, and other confounders. Hot tea consumption was associated with beneficial biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk and inflammation (increased high density lipoprotein-associated cholesterol and decreased C-reactive protein in both sexes, and reduced triglycerides in women), whereas the association with iced tea consumption was again reversed. Conclusions These cross-sectional results support growing laboratory data which demonstrate the negative association of hot tea intake with markers of MetS. PMID:22777108

Effect of white tea and xylitol on structure and properties of demineralized enamel and jawbone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auerkari, EI; Kiranahayu, R.; Emerita, D.; Sumariningsih, P.; Sarita, D.; Adiwirya, MS; Suhartono, AW

2018-05-01

White tea and xylitol have been suggested as potential agents to combat dental caries and osteoporosis through enhanced remineralization. This investigation aimed to determine the effects of exposure to white tea with and without xylitol on the structure, composition and hardness of demineralized human dental enamel. For control, samples of untreated and demineralized enamel and samples of untreated rat jawbone were subjected to similar measurements. For demineralization, the enamel samples were immersed for two days at 50°C in an acetate solution (pH 4.0). All samples were then soaked for two weeks at 37°C in a solution containing three different concentrations of white tea, xylitol or both, and an optional addition of the remineralization ingredients including Ca, P and F. For enamel samples without preceding demineralization and without added remineralization ingredients, the results showed highest mean hardness after immersion in a solution containing both white tea and xylitol, practically independently of their applied concentration level. However, for demineralized enamel samples with added remineralization ingredients, the resulting mean hardness was also dependent on concentration of white tea and xylitol. With sufficient concentration, hardness was again higher for combined white tea and xylitol than for either of these used alone.

Volatile aroma compounds in various brewed green teas.

PubMed

Lee, Jeehyun; Chambers, Delores H; Chambers, Edgar; Adhikari, Koushik; Yoon, Youngmo

2013-08-20

This study identifies and semi-quantifies aroma volatiles in brewed green tea samples. The objectives of this study were to identify using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) paired with a headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) the common volatile compounds that may be responsible for aroma/flavor of the brewed liquor of a range of green tea samples from various countries as consumed and to determine if green teas from the same region have similarities in volatile composition when green tea samples are prepared for consumption. Twenty-four green tea samples from eight different countries were brewed as recommended for consumer brewing. The aroma volatiles were extracted by HS-SPME, separated on a gas chromatograph and identified using a mass spectrometer. Thirty-eight compounds were identified and the concentrations were semi-quantified. The concentrations were lower than those reported by other researchers, probably because this research examined headspace volatiles from brewed tea rather than solvent extraction of leaves. No relationship to country of origin was found, which indicates that other factors have a greater influence than country of origin on aroma.

Influences of Product Temperature on Emotional Responses to, and Sensory Attributes of, Coffee and Green Tea Beverages.

PubMed

Pramudya, Ragita C; Seo, Han-Seok

2017-01-01

Coffee and green tea are popular beverages consumed at both hot and cold temperatures. When people consume hot beverages concurrently with other activities, they may experience at different temperatures over the period of consumption. However, there has been limited research investigating the effects of product temperatures on emotional responses and sensory attributes of beverages. This study aimed to determine whether emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, brewed coffee and green tea vary as a function of sample temperature. Using a check-all-that-apply (CATA) method, 157 participants (79 for coffee and 78 for green tea) were asked to evaluate either coffee or green tea samples served at cold (5°C), ambient (25°C), and hot (65°C) temperatures with respect to emotional responses and sensory attributes. The results showed that sample temperature could have significant influences on emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee and green tea samples. More specifically, 6 and 18 sensory attributes of coffee and green tea samples, respectively, significantly differed with sample temperature. Beverage samples evaluated at 65°C were characterized, regardless of activation/arousal level, by positive emotional responses terms and favorable sensory attributes. While beverages evaluated at 25°C were associated more with negative emotional responses with low activation/arousal, those evaluated at 5°C were more frequently characterized as having negative emotional responses with high activation/arousal. Sensory and emotional drivers of liking for both coffee and green tea differed both with sample temperature and gender. While both emotional responses and sensory attributes were identified as drivers of liking among females, only emotional responses were identified as drivers of liking among males. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that both emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee and green tea beverages can vary with sample temperatures. To provide a better understanding of product characteristics, emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee or green tea beverages should be tested over a wider range of product temperatures.

Influences of Product Temperature on Emotional Responses to, and Sensory Attributes of, Coffee and Green Tea Beverages

PubMed Central

Pramudya, Ragita C.; Seo, Han-Seok

2018-01-01

Coffee and green tea are popular beverages consumed at both hot and cold temperatures. When people consume hot beverages concurrently with other activities, they may experience at different temperatures over the period of consumption. However, there has been limited research investigating the effects of product temperatures on emotional responses and sensory attributes of beverages. This study aimed to determine whether emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, brewed coffee and green tea vary as a function of sample temperature. Using a check-all-that-apply (CATA) method, 157 participants (79 for coffee and 78 for green tea) were asked to evaluate either coffee or green tea samples served at cold (5°C), ambient (25°C), and hot (65°C) temperatures with respect to emotional responses and sensory attributes. The results showed that sample temperature could have significant influences on emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee and green tea samples. More specifically, 6 and 18 sensory attributes of coffee and green tea samples, respectively, significantly differed with sample temperature. Beverage samples evaluated at 65°C were characterized, regardless of activation/arousal level, by positive emotional responses terms and favorable sensory attributes. While beverages evaluated at 25°C were associated more with negative emotional responses with low activation/arousal, those evaluated at 5°C were more frequently characterized as having negative emotional responses with high activation/arousal. Sensory and emotional drivers of liking for both coffee and green tea differed both with sample temperature and gender. While both emotional responses and sensory attributes were identified as drivers of liking among females, only emotional responses were identified as drivers of liking among males. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that both emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee and green tea beverages can vary with sample temperatures. To provide a better understanding of product characteristics, emotional responses to, and sensory attributes of, coffee or green tea beverages should be tested over a wider range of product temperatures. PMID:29375418

Fusion of Potentiometric & Voltammetric Electronic Tongue for Classification of Black Tea Taste based on Theaflavins (TF) Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharyya, Nabarun; Legin, Andrey; Papieva, Irina; Sarkar, Subrata; Kirsanov, Dmitry; Kartsova, Anna; Ghosh, Arunangshu; Bandyopadhyay, Rajib

2011-09-01

Black tea is an extensively consumed beverage worldwide with an expanding market. The final quality of black tea depends upon number of chemical compounds present in the tea. Out of these compounds, theaflavins (TF), which is responsible for astringency in black tea, plays an important role in determining the final taste of the finished black tea. The present paper reports our effort to correlate the theaflavins contents with the voltammetric and potentiometric electronic tongue (e-tongue) data. Noble metal-based electrode array has been used for collecting data though voltammetric electronic tongue where as liquid filled membrane based electrodes have been used for potentiometric electronic tongue. Black tea samples with tea taster score and biochemical results have been collected from Tea Research Association, Tocklai, India for the analysis purpose. In this paper, voltammetric and potentiometric e-tongue responses are combined to demonstrate improvement of cluster formation among tea samples with different ranges of TF values.

21 CFR 165.110 - Bottled water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., when a composite of analytical units of equal volume from a sample is examined by the method described...)(A) Bottled water shall, when a composite of analytical units of equal volume from a sample is..., and Cosmetic Act, the Food and Drug Administration has determined that bottled water, when a composite...

Liquid sampling system

DOEpatents

Larson, L.L.

1984-09-17

A conduit extends from a reservoir through a sampling station and back to the reservoir in a closed loop. A jet ejector in the conduit establishes suction for withdrawing liquid from the reservoir. The conduit has a self-healing septum therein upstream of the jet ejector for receiving one end of a double-ended cannula, the other end of which is received in a serum bottle for sample collection. Gas is introduced into the conduit at a gas bleed between the sample collection bottle and the reservoir. The jet ejector evacuates gas from the conduit and the bottle and aspirates a column of liquid from the reservoir at a high rate. When the withdrawn liquid reaches the jet ejector the rate of flow therethrough reduces substantially and the gas bleed increases the pressure in the conduit for driving liquid into the sample bottle, the gas bleed forming a column of gas behind the withdrawn liquid column and interrupting the withdrawal of liquid from the reservoir. In the case of hazardous and toxic liquids, the sample bottle and the jet ejector may be isolated from the reservoir and may be further isolated from a control station containing remote manipulation means for the sample bottle and control valves for the jet ejector and gas bleed. 5 figs.

Liquid sampling system

DOEpatents

Larson, Loren L.

1987-01-01

A conduit extends from a reservoir through a sampling station and back to the reservoir in a closed loop. A jet ejector in the conduit establishes suction for withdrawing liquid from the reservoir. The conduit has a self-healing septum therein upstream of the jet ejector for receiving one end of a double-ended cannula, the other end of which is received in a serum bottle for sample collection. Gas is introduced into the conduit at a gas bleed between the sample collection bottle and the reservoir. The jet ejector evacuates gas from the conduit and the bottle and aspirates a column of liquid from the reservoir at a high rate. When the withdrawn liquid reaches the jet ejector the rate of flow therethrough reduces substantially and the gas bleed increases the pressure in the conduit for driving liquid into the sample bottle, the gas bleed forming a column of gas behind the withdrawn liquid column and interrupting the withdrawal of liquid from the reservoir. In the case of hazardous and toxic liquids, the sample bottle and the jet ejector may be isolated from the reservoir and may be further isolated from a control station containing remote manipulation means for the sample bottle and control valves for the jet ejector and gas bleed.

FLUORIDE CONTENT OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE BOTTLED DRINKING WATER IN BANGKOK, THAILAND.

PubMed

Rirattanapong, Praphasri; Rirattanapong, Opas

2016-09-01

The use of bottled drinking water may be a source of fluoride and could be a risk factor for fluorosis among infants and young children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fluoride content of commercially available bottled drinking water in Bangkok, Thailand. Forty-five water samples (15 samples of plain water and 30 samples of mineral water) were purchased from several supermarkets in Bangkok, Thailand. Three bottles of each water sample were purchased, and the fluoride content of each sample was measured twice using a combination fluoride-ion selective electrode. The average reading for each sample was then calculated. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Differences between mineral and plain water samples were determined by Student’s t-test. The mean (±SD) fluoride content for all the water samples was 0.17 (±0.17) mg F/l (range: 0.01-0.89 mg F/l). Six brands (13%) tested stated the fluoride content on the label. The actual fluoride content in each of their brands varied little from the label. Eight samples (18%) had a fluoride content >0.3 mg F/l and two samples (4%) had a fluoride content >0.6 mg F/l. The mean mineral water fluoride concentration was significantly higher than the mean fluoride concentration of plain water (p=0.001). We found commercially sold bottled drinking water in Bangkok, Thailand contained varying concentrations of fluoride; some with high concentrations of fluoride. Health professions need to be aware this varying fluoride content of bottled drinking water and educate the parents of infants and small children about this when prescribing fluoride supplements. Consideration should be made to have fluoride content put on the label of bottled water especially among brands with a content >0.3 mg F/l.

Comparative Assessment of Copper, Iron, and Zinc Contents in Selected Indian (Assam) and South African (Thohoyandou) Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) Samples and Their Infusion: A Quest for Health Risks to Consumer.

PubMed

Karak, Tanmoy; Paul, Ranjit Kumar; Kutu, Funso Raphael; Mehra, Aradhana; Khare, Puja; Dutta, Amrit Kumar; Bora, Krishnamoni; Boruah, Romesh Kumar

2017-02-01

The current study aims to assess the infusion pattern of three important micronutrients namely copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) contents from black tea samples produced in Assam (India) and Thohoyandou (South Africa). Average daily intakes and hazardous quotient were reported for these micronutrients. Total content for Cu, Fe, and Zn varied from 2.25 to 48.82 mg kg -1 , 14.75 to 148.18 mg kg -1 , and 28.48 to 106.68 mg kg -1 , respectively. The average contents of each of the three micronutrients were higher in tea leaves samples collected from South Africa than those from India while the contents in tea infusions in Indian samples were higher than in South African tea samples. Results of this study revealed that the consumption of 600 mL tea infusion produced from 24 g of made tea per day may be beneficial to human in terms of these micronutrients content. Application of nonparametric tests revealed that most of the data sets do not satisfy the normality assumptions. Hence, the use of both parametric and nonparametric statistical analysis that subsequently revealed significant differences in elemental contents among Indian and South African tea.

Physicochemical and bacteriological quality of bottled drinking water in three sites of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Biadglegne, Fantahun; Tessema, Belay; Kibret, Mulugeta; Abera, Bayeh; Huruy, Kahsay; Anagaw, Belay; Mulu, Andargachew

2009-10-01

The consumption of bottled drinking water is becoming increasing in Ethiopia. As a result there has been a growing concern about the chemical, physical and bacteriological quality of this product. Studies on the chemical, physical and bacteriological quality of bottled water is quite scarce in Ethiopia. This study was therefore aimed to assess the physicochemical and bacteriological qualities of three factories of bottled drinking water products produced in Amhara region. A Laboratory based comparative study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of three factories of bottled drinking water produced in Amhara region. Analysis on the quality of bottled drinking water from the sources, wholesalers and retailers were made with World Health Organization and Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia recommendations. Triplicate samples from three types of bottled drinking water were randomly collected and analyzed from June, 2006 to December, 2006. A total of 108 commercial bottled drinking water samples were analyzed. The result showed that except pH of factory A all the physicochemical parameters analyzed were with in the recommended limits. The pH value of factory A tested from sources is 5.3 and from wholesalers and retailers is 5.5 and 5.3, respectively, which is below the normal value set by World Health Organization (6.5-8.0) and Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia (6.0-8.5). Our analyses also demonstrated that 2 (16.7%) of the samples tested from sources and 1 (8.3%) from wholesalers of factory B were contaminated with total coliforms, where as 2 (16.7%) samples from retailers were also contaminated with total coliforms. On the other hand, 1 (8.3%) of the samples tested from wholesalers and 2 (16.7%) of the samples tested from retailers of factory A were also contaminated with total coliforms. Total coliforms were not detected from all samples of factory C, fecal coliforms were not also isolated from all samples. Percent of coefficient of variation showed that variations in total coliforms counts were significant with in the samples of both factory A and B (CV > 10%). Based on the recommended limit of World Health Organization and Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia, 7.4% of bottled drinking water sold commercially could be considered unfit for human consumption. Consumers of bottled water should be aware of this.

Calciphytoliths (calcium oxalate crystals) analysis for the identification of decayed tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jianping; Lu, Houyuan; Huang, Linpei

2014-01-01

The history of tea is poorly known, mainly due to the questionable identification of decayed tea plants in archaeological samples. This paper attempts to test the utility of calciphytoliths (calcium oxalate crystals) for the identification of tea in archaeological samples. It provides the first survey of the macropatterns of calciphytoliths in several species of Theaceae and common non-Theaceae plants. Crystals were extracted from 45 samples of tea, Theaceae and common non-Theaceae plants, and detected microscopically between crossed polarizers. In tea plants, druse and trichome base are the most distinctive crystals. Druses have the smallest diameter (11.65 ± 3.64 μm), and trichome bases have four distinctive straight and regular cracks, similar to a regular extinction cross. The results provide morphological criteria for distinguishing tea from other plants, specifically the presence of identifiable druses together with calcified trichome bases. The implications are significant for understanding the history of tea and plant exploitation, especially for plants for which the preservation of macrofossils is poor. PMID:25342006

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, G.L.

This data package satisfies the requirement for a format IV, final report. It is a follow-up to the 45-day safety screen report for tank AP-104. Evaporator candidate feed from tank 241-AP-104 (hereafter referred to as AP-104) was characterized for physical, inorganic, organic and radiochemical parameters by the Westinghouse Hanford Company, 222-S Laboratory, and by the Battelle Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) as directed by the Tank Sample and Analysis Plan (TSAP), References 1 through 4. Preliminary data in the form of summary analytical tables were provided to the project in advance of this final report tomore » enable early estimation of evaporator operational parameters, using the Predict modeling program. Laboratory analyses at ACL Laboratory was performed according to the TSAP. Analyses were performed at the 222-S Laboratory as defined and specified in the TSAP and the Laboratory`s Quality Assurance Plan, References 5 and 6. Any deviations from the instructions documented in the TSAP are discussed in this narrative and are supported with additional documentation. SAMPLING The TSAP, section 2, provided sampling information for waste samples collected from tank AP-104. The bottle-on-a-string method was used to collect liquid grab samples from the tank. Each glass sample bottle was amber, precleaned, and contained approximately 100 milliliters. Each bottle was closed with a teflon seal cap (or teflon septum for volatile organic analysis samples). Field blank samples were prepared by placing deionized water into sampling bottles, lowering the unclosed bottles into the riser for a period of time, retrieving them from the riser, and then closing the bottles with the same types of caps used for the tank samples. None of the samples were preserved by acidification. Upon receipt, the sample bottles destined for organic analyses were placed in a refrigerator. No attempt was made during sampling to assure the complete filling of the bottles so as to exclude all headspace. These actions were consistent with safety procedures, which attempt to limit personnel exposure to hazardous ionizing radiation.« less

White and green teas (Camellia sinensis var. sinensis): variation in phenolic, methylxanthine, and antioxidant profiles.

PubMed

Unachukwu, Uchenna J; Ahmed, Selena; Kavalier, Adam; Lyles, James T; Kennelly, Edward J

2010-08-01

Recent investigations have associated white teas with anti-carcinogenic, immune-boosting, and antioxidative properties that may impact human health in a manner comparable to green teas. An in-depth chemical analysis of white tea types was conducted to quantify polyphenols and antioxidant potential of 8 commercially available white teas, and compare them to green tea. Extraction and HPLC protocols were optimized and validated for the quantification of 9 phenolic and 3 methylxanthine compounds to examine inter- and intra-variation in white and green tea types and subtypes. A sampling strategy was devised to assess various subtypes procured from different commercial sources. Variation in antioxidant activity and total phenolic content (TPC) of both tea types was further assessed by the 1-1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Folin-Ciocalteau (F-C) assays, respectively. Total catechin content (TCC) for white teas ranged widely from 14.40 to 369.60 mg/g of dry plant material for water extracts and 47.16 to 163.94 mg/g for methanol extracts. TCC for green teas also ranged more than 10-fold, from 21.38 to 228.20 mg/g of dry plant material for water extracts and 32.23 to 141.24 mg/g for methanol extracts. These findings indicate that statements suggesting a hierarchical order of catechin content among tea types are inconclusive and should be made with attention to a sampling strategy that specifies the tea subtype and its source. Certain white teas have comparable quantities of total catechins to some green teas, but lesser antioxidant capacity, suggesting that white teas have fewer non-catechin antioxidants present. Practical Application: In this investigation white and green teas were extracted in ways that mimic common tea preparation practices, and their chemical profiles were determined using validated analytical chemistry methods. The results suggest certain green and white tea types have comparable levels of catechins with potential health promoting qualities. Specifically, the polyphenolic content of green teas was found to be similar to certain white tea varieties, which makes the latter tea type a potential substitute for people interested in consuming polyphenols for health reasons. Moreover, this study is among the first to demonstrate the effect subtype sampling, source of procurement, cultivation, and processing practices have on the final white tea product, as such analysis has previously been mostly carried out on green teas.

Evaluation of microbial contamination of canine plasma eyedropper bottles following clinical use in canine patients.

PubMed

Strauss, Rachel A; Genschel, Ulrike; Allbaugh, Rachel A; Sebbag, Lionel; Ben-Shlomo, Gil

2018-05-24

To investigate microbial contamination of canine plasma eye drops when used clinically and to compare the effect of two different eyedropper bottles on contamination rate. Forty-six bottles containing plasma were randomly dispensed for use on 42 dogs with ulcerative keratitis. Of these, 23 were standard eyedropper bottles and 23 were Novelia ® bottles designed to prevent contamination. After use for up to 2 weeks, samples for bacterial culture were obtained from a drop of plasma, the bottle tip, the plasma inside the bottle, and the corneal surface. Fungal culture was performed from a drop of plasma. The overall microbial contamination rate was 17.4% (8/46 bottles); however, only one bottle had growth from the plasma inside the bottle. There was a lower contamination rate of Novelia ® bottles (3/23 = 13.0%) compared to standard bottles (5/23 = 21.7%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .57). There were also no significant differences in contamination rate of bottles used greater than 7 days compared to less than or equal to 7 days, or in bottles used greater than 4 times daily compared to 4 times daily or less. Three corneal samples (6.5%) had bacterial growth, but none matched contamination from the bottles. Novelia ® bottles may decrease contamination of plasma eye drops used clinically. However, while microbial contamination of plasma bottles was documented, no clinically relevant complications were observed. This study supports safe use of plasma eye drops for up to 2 weeks when refrigerated and dispensed from either Novelia ® or standard eyedropper bottles. © 2018 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Prevalence of Brick Tea-Type Fluorosis in the Tibet Autonomous Region

PubMed Central

Fan, Zhipeng; Gao, Yanhui; Wang, Wei; Gong, Hongqiang; Guo, Min; Zhao, Shengcheng; Liu, Xuehui; Yu, Bing; Sun, Dianjun

2016-01-01

Background The prevalence of brick tea-type fluorosis is high in Tibet because of the habit of drinking brick tea in this region. Brick tea-type fluorosis has become an urgent public health problem in China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate prevalence of brick tea-type fluorosis in all districts of Tibet using a stratified cluster sampling method. Dental fluorosis in children aged 8–12 years and clinical skeletal fluorosis in adults were diagnosed according to the national criteria. A total of 423 children and 1320 adults participated in the study. Samples of drinking water, brick tea, brick tea infusion (or buttered tea), and urine were collected and measured for fluoride concentrations by the fluoride ion selective electrode method. Results The fluoride level in all but one of the brick tea samples was above the national standard. The average daily fluoride intake from drinking brick tea in all seven districts in Tibet was much higher than the national standard. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 33.57%, and the prevalence of clinical skeletal fluorosis was 46.06%. The average daily fluoride intake from drinking brick tea (r = 0.292, P < 0.05), urine fluoride concentrations in children (r = 0.134, P < 0.05), urine fluoride concentrations in adults (r = 0.162, P < 0.05), and altitude (r = 0.276, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the prevalence of brick tea-type fluorosis. Herdsmen had the highest fluoride exposure and the most severe skeletal fluorosis. Conclusions Brick tea-type fluorosis in Tibet is more serious than in other parts of China. The altitude and occupational factors are important risk factors for brick tea-type fluorosis. PMID:26499132

Prevalence of Brick Tea-Type Fluorosis in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

PubMed

Fan, Zhipeng; Gao, Yanhui; Wang, Wei; Gong, Hongqiang; Guo, Min; Zhao, Shengcheng; Liu, Xuehui; Yu, Bing; Sun, Dianjun

2016-01-01

The prevalence of brick tea-type fluorosis is high in Tibet because of the habit of drinking brick tea in this region. Brick tea-type fluorosis has become an urgent public health problem in China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate prevalence of brick tea-type fluorosis in all districts of Tibet using a stratified cluster sampling method. Dental fluorosis in children aged 8-12 years and clinical skeletal fluorosis in adults were diagnosed according to the national criteria. A total of 423 children and 1320 adults participated in the study. Samples of drinking water, brick tea, brick tea infusion (or buttered tea), and urine were collected and measured for fluoride concentrations by the fluoride ion selective electrode method. The fluoride level in all but one of the brick tea samples was above the national standard. The average daily fluoride intake from drinking brick tea in all seven districts in Tibet was much higher than the national standard. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 33.57%, and the prevalence of clinical skeletal fluorosis was 46.06%. The average daily fluoride intake from drinking brick tea (r = 0.292, P < 0.05), urine fluoride concentrations in children (r = 0.134, P < 0.05), urine fluoride concentrations in adults (r = 0.162, P < 0.05), and altitude (r = 0.276, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the prevalence of brick tea-type fluorosis. Herdsmen had the highest fluoride exposure and the most severe skeletal fluorosis. Brick tea-type fluorosis in Tibet is more serious than in other parts of China. The altitude and occupational factors are important risk factors for brick tea-type fluorosis.

Spectrophotometric determination of the tannin contents of various Turkish black tea, beer and wine samples.

PubMed

Tinkiliç, N; Uyanik, A

2001-05-01

This study reports tannin contents of various tea (19), beer (6) and wine (6) samples, produced or sold in Turkey under different brand names. Determinations were carried out by employing a previously reported UV-vis spectrophotometric method. The standard addition procedure was also compared to the direct determination procedure and found to be more reliable. The tannin contents of hot water extracts of tea, tea bag and herbal tea samples ranged between 6.20-8.33, 8.03-6.59 and 2.76-6.54 percent (w/w) respectively. Tannin contents of beer and wine samples determined without extraction were found ranging between 66.36-77.26 and 67.18-107.62 micrograms/mL respectively. Iron contents of analysed wine samples were also found ranging between 0.36 and 10.33 ppm by AAS and no relation is found between tannin and iron contents.

Analysis of algal chlorophylls and carotenoids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bidigare, Robert R.

Water samples should be collected with Go-Flo bottles to avoid the contamination problems associated with the latex rubber closure mechanism of Niskin bottles [Williams and Robertson, 1989]. Price et al. [1986] have documented that latex rubber is extremely toxic to marine phytoplankton. It is recommended that only silicone tubing be used to dispense seawater into sample bottles. Seawater is dispensed into opaque Nalgene sample bottles to avoid light shock to deep-living phytoplankton assemblages. If pigment samples are collected to examine the dynamics of the diatoxanthin-diadinoxanthin (DT-DN) xanthophyll cycle, then casts should be performed quickly, i.e. less than 6 minutes, to minimize DT-DN interconversion prior to filtration [Welschmeyer and Hoepffner, in press; Welschmeyer, personal communication, 1990].

The health-related microbiological quality of bottled drinking water sold in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Kassenga, Gabriel R

2007-03-01

The consumption of bottled and plastic-bagged drinking water in Tanzania has increased largely because of the deteriorating quality of tap water. It is uncertain whether these water products are safe for drinking. In this study, the microbiological quality of bottled and plastic-bagged drinking water sold in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was investigated. One hundred and thirty samples representing 13 brands of bottled water collected from shops, supermarkets and street vendors were analysed for total coliform and faecal coliform organisms as well as heterotrophic bacteria. These were compared with 61 samples of tap water. Heterotrophic bacteria were detected in 92% of the bottled water samples analysed. Total and faecal coliform bacteria were present in 4.6% and 3.6%, respectively, of samples analysed with a tendency for higher contamination rates in plastic-bagged drinking water. Microbiological quality of tap water was found to be worse compared with bottled water, with 49.2% and 26.2% of sampling points showing the presence of total coliform and faecal coliform organisms, respectively. The results suggest caution and vigilance to avert outbreaks of waterborne diseases from these types of drinking water.

Simultaneous analysis of tropane alkaloids in teas and herbal teas by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (Orbitrap).

PubMed

Romera-Torres, Ana; Romero-González, Roberto; Martínez Vidal, José Luis; Garrido Frenich, Antonia

2018-05-01

A new method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of 13 tropane alkaloids in tea and herbal teas using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to an Exactive-Orbitrap analyzer. A mixture of methanol, water, and formic acid was used for the extraction of the target compounds followed by a solid-phase extraction step. The validated method provided recoveries from 75 to 128% with intra- and interday precision lower than or equal to 24% (except for apoatropine). Limits of quantification ranged from 5 to 20 μg/kg. Eleven tea and herbal tea samples and two contaminated samples with Datura stramonium seeds were analyzed. Tropane alkaloids were detected in six samples with concentrations from 5 (apoatropine) to 4340 μg/kg (sum of physoperuvine, pseudotropine, and tropine), whereas concentrations from 5 (apoatropine) to 1725 μg/kg (sum of physoperuvine, pseudotropine, and tropine) were found in the contaminated samples. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A new design of groundwater sampling device and its application.

PubMed

Tsai, Yih-jin; Kuo, Ming-ching T

2005-01-01

Compounds in the atmosphere contaminate samples of groundwater. An inexpensive and simple method for collecting groundwater samples is developed to prevent contamination when the background concentration of contaminants is high. This new design of groundwater sampling device involves a glass sampling bottle with a Teflon-lined valve at each end. A cleaned and dried sampling bottle was connected to a low flow-rate peristaltic pump with Teflon tubing and was filled with water. No headspace volume was remained in the sampling bottle. The sample bottle was then packed in a PVC bag to prevent the target component from infiltrating into the water sample through the valves. In this study, groundwater was sampled at six wells using both the conventional method and the improved method. The analysis of trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) concentrations at these six wells indicates that all the groundwater samples obtained by the conventional sampling method were contaminated by CFC-11 from the atmosphere. The improved sampling method greatly eliminated the problems of contamination, preservation and quantitative analysis of natural water.

Survey on the pesticide residues in tea in south India.

PubMed

Seenivasan, Subbiah; Muraleedharan, NarayananNair

2011-05-01

Tea is considered as a 'health beverage' due its antioxidant properties and resultant beneficial effects on human health. Such a beverage should be free from toxic elements such as pesticide residues and heavy metals. A large scale survey of teas produced in the tea factories of south India had been carried out for a period of three years from 2006 to 2008 and 912 tea samples were analysed for the residues of certain pesticides such as dicofol, ethion, quinalphos, hexaconazole, fenpropathrin, fenvalerate and propargite which are used for pest and disease control in tea in this part of the country. The analytical data proved that only less than 0.5 percentage of tea samples had residues of these pesticides. However, residues of pesticides were below their maximum limits in tea, stipulated by the European Union, Codex Alimentarius Commission of FAO/WHO and Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of Govt. of India.

Small-sized microplastics and pigmented particles in bottled mineral water.

PubMed

Oßmann, Barbara E; Sarau, George; Holtmannspötter, Heinrich; Pischetsrieder, Monika; Christiansen, Silke H; Dicke, Wilhelm

2018-09-15

Up to now, only a few studies about microparticle contamination of bottled mineral water have been published. The smallest analysed particle size was 5 μm. However, due to toxicological reasons, especially microparticles smaller than 1.5 μm are critically discussed. Therefore, in the present study, 32 samples of bottled mineral water were investigated for contamination by microplastics, pigment and additive particles. Due to the application of aluminium coated polycarbonate membrane filters and micro-Raman spectroscopy, a lowest analysed particle size of 1 μm was achieved. Microplastics were found in water from all bottle types: in single use and reusable bottles made of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as well as in glass bottles. The amount of microplastics in mineral water varied from 2649 ± 2857 per litre in single use PET bottles up to 6292 ± 10521 per litre in glass bottles. While in plastic bottles, the predominant polymer type was PET; in glass bottles various polymers such as polyethylene or styrene-butadiene-copolymer were found. Hence, besides the packaging itself, other contamination sources have to be considered. Pigment particles were detected in high amounts in reusable, paper labelled bottles (195047 ± 330810 pigment particles per litre in glass and 23594 ± 25518 pigment particles per litre in reusable paper labelled PET bottles). Pigment types found in water samples were the same as used for label printing, indicating the bottle cleaning process as possible contamination route. Furthermore, on average 708 ± 1024 particles per litre of the additive Tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphite were found in reusable PET bottles. This additive might be leached out from the bottle material itself. Over 90% of the detected microplastics and pigment particles were smaller than 5 μm and thus not covered by previous studies. In summary, this is the first study reporting about microplastics, pigment and additive particles found in bottled mineral water samples with a smallest analysed particle size of 1 μm. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concentration of ions in selected bottled water samples sold in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Kam, Ryan Chuan Yang; Lim, Ai Phing; Praveena, Sarva Mangala

2013-03-01

Many consumers around the world, including Malaysians, have turned to bottled water as their main source of drinking water. The aim of this study is to determine the physical and chemical properties of bottled water samples sold in Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 20 bottled water brands consisting of `natural mineral (NM)' and `packaged drinking (PD)' types were randomly collected and analyzed for their physical-chemical characteristics: hydrogen ion concentration (pH), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS), selected major ions: calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na), and minor trace constituents: copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) to ascertain their suitability for human consumption. The results obtained were compared with guideline values recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Malaysian Ministry of Health (MMOH), respectively. It was found that all bottled water samples were in accordance with the guidelines set by WHO and MMOH except for one sample (D3) which was below the pH limit of 6.5. Both NM and PD bottled water were dominated by Na + K > Ca > Mg. Low values for EC and TDS in the bottled water samples showed that water was deficient in essential elements, likely an indication that these were removed by water treatment. Minerals like major ions were present in very low concentrations which could pose a risk to individuals who consume this water on a regular basis. Generally, the overall quality of the supplied bottled water was in accordance to standards and guidelines set by WHO and MMOH and safe for consumption.

Determination and comparison of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content in pu-erh and other types of Chinese tea.

PubMed

Zhao, Ming; Ma, Yan; Wei, Zhen-zhen; Yuan, Wen-xia; Li, Ya-li; Zhang, Chun-hua; Xue, Xiao-ting; Zhou, Hong-jie

2011-04-27

Two previous studies have reported that pu-erh tea contains a high level of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and has several physiological functions. However, two other researchers have demonstrated that the GABA content of several pu-erh teas was low. Due to the high value and health benefits of GABA, analysis of mass-produced pu-erh tea is necessary to determine whether it is actually enriched with GABA. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of GABA in tea, the results of which were verified by amino acid analysis using an Amino Acid Analyzer (AAA). A total of 114 samples of various types of Chinese tea, including 62 pu-erh teas, 13 green teas, 8 oolong teas, 8 black teas, 3 white teas, 4 GABA teas, and 16 process samples from two industrial fermentations of pu-erh tea (including the raw material and the first to seventh turnings), were analyzed using HPLC. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the GABA content in pu-erh tea was significantly lower than that in other types of tea (p < 0.05) and that the GABA content decreased during industrial fermentation of pu-erh tea (p < 0.05). This mass analysis and comparison suggested GABA was not a major bioactive constituent and resolved the disagreement GABA content in pu-erh tea. In addition, the GABA content in white tea was found to be significantly higher than that in the other types of tea (p < 0.05), leading to the possibility of producing GABA-enriched white tea.

Characterization of tea polyphenols as potential environment-friendly fire retardants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Fengqi; Zhai, Chunjie; Wang, Haihui; Tao, Junjun

2018-02-01

In this work we investigated the oxidation properties of tea polyphenols and their potential as the fire retardants. Two types of tea polyphenols were adopted, which were extracted from red tea and green tea leaves, respectively. Their macroscopic performance during pyrolysis and oxidation at elevated temperatures were examined by using a heating furnace. Mass change, heat evolution and gas products of tea polyphenols during heating in air were also monitored by using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) integrated with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) in conjunction with online Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and mass spectroscopy (MS). A tea polyphenol sample first becomes a brown semi-fluid after heating, and gradually turns into highly-porous black chars with significantly expanded volume. By raising the temperature to ∼550 °C at a rate of 10 °C/min, the mass of a sample reduces by nearly 70% to form a large quantity of inert gases that are mainly composed of H2O and CO2. It was found that the aerial oxidation products of tea polyphenols in the solid phase possess good heat insulation property; meanwhile, the substantial release of a lot of water and its evaporation during oxidation of tea polyphenols removes a large amount of heat from a sample located in a heating environment. The heat insulation of tea polyphenols may withstand up to 550 °C. The present work confirms tea polyphenols as potential superior and environment-friendly fire retardants.

Determination of 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA) as one of the major classes of chlorogenic acid in commercial tea and coffee samples.

PubMed

Nevena, Grujić-Letić; Branislava, Rakić; Emilia, Sefer; Dusica, Rakić; Ivan, Nedeljković; Nebojsa, Kladar; Biljana, Božin

2015-11-01

Tea and coffee are one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world due to their beneficial health effects which are largely associated with their phenolic compounds composition, including chlorogenic acid. The main aim of this study was to determine 5-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA), as one of the major classes of chlorogenic acid, in various commercial tea and coffee samples present at the Serbian market. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for determination of 5-CQA in plant extracts was applied to determine the content of this active compound in commercial tea and coffee samples. Mobile phase was aqueous 1.5% acetic acid-methanol (80:20, v/v) with the flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. Run time was 15 min and column temperature 25°C. The detection was performed at 240 nm. The HPLC method was modified and revalidated. The 5-CQA content varied depending on the type of tea (white, green, black tea and mate) and the processing technology. Green tea had the highest 5-CQA content (16 mg/100 mL) among the analyzed tea samples. The content of 5-CQA in coffee samples ranged 0-36.20 mg/g of coffee and 0-46.98 mg/100 mL of beverage, showing that the content varied depending on the type of coffee, coffee processing technology and the formulation. The modified and revalidated HPLC method showed a good accuracy, repeatability, selectivity and robustness. The highest amount of 5-CQA was determined in green tea in comparison to white, black and mate tea because the increased oxidation level decreases the amount of 5-CQA. The obtained results for commercial coffee samples indicated that the formulation was the most important factor determining the amount of 5-CQA. It can be concluded that plant material selection, processing conditions and formulation have great influence on the amount of chlorogenic acid (5-CQA) in the final tea and coffee products.

Assessing human exposure to phthalic acid and phthalate esters from mineral water stored in polyethylene terephthalate and glass bottles.

PubMed

Montuori, P; Jover, E; Morgantini, M; Bayona, J M; Triassi, M

2008-04-01

Phthalic acid and phthalate esters are of growing interest due to their significant usage and potential toxicity. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and glass are both widely used materials for bottled drinking water. In this study, phthalic acid (PhA), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiisoBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were analysed in a large number of Italian bottled water samples. These samples showed different concentrations of phthalates are nearly 20 times higher in samples bottled in PET than those from glass bottles with total levels of phthalates of 3.52 and 0.19 microg l(-1), respectively. However, the observed levels do not represent a significant exposure pathway when considering the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reference dose (an estimate of a daily oral exposure to the human population, including sensitive subgroups, that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime). In addition, no significant correlation was found between the phthalate concentrations and the physicochemical properties of the different water samples, apart from the still/sparkling water parameter for the PET samples. In this instance, slightly higher concentrations were observed for the PET bottled still water samples than for the sparkling water samples, although no explanation has been found yet.

Extraction Efficiency of Different Solvents and LC-UV Determination of Biogenic Amines in Tea Leaves and Infusions

PubMed Central

Spizzirri, U. Gianfranco; Picci, Nevio

2016-01-01

Biogenic amines (BAs), that is, spermine, spermidine, putrescine, histamine, tyramine, β-phenylethylamine, cadaverine, and serotonin, have been determined in several samples of tea leaves, tea infusions, and tea drinks by LC-UV method after derivatization with dansyl chloride. Different extraction solvents have been tested and TCA 5% showed better analytical performances in terms of linearity, recovery percentages, LOD, LOQ, and repeatability than HCl 0.1 M and HClO4 0.1 M and was finally exploited for the quantitative determination of BAs in all samples. In tea leaves total BAs concentration ranged from 2.23 μg g−1 to 11.24 μg g−1 and PUT (1.05–2.25 μg g−1) and SPD (1.01–1.95 μg g−1) were always present, while SER (nd–1.56 μg g−1), HIS (nd–2.44 μg g−1), and SPM (nd–1.64 μg g−1) were detected more rarely. CAD and PHE were determined in few samples at much lower concentrations while none of the samples contained TYR. Tea infusions showed the same trend with total BAs concentrations never exceeding 80.7 μg L−1. Black teas showed higher amounts of BAs than green teas and organic and decaffeinated samples always contained much lower BAs levels than their conventional counterparts. PMID:27555979

[Investigation on the homogeneity and stability of quality controlling cosmetic samples containing arsenic].

PubMed

Dong, Bing; Song, Yu; Fan, Wenjia; Zhu, Ying

2010-11-01

To study the homogeneity and stability of arsenic in quality controlling cosmetic samples. Arsenic was determined by atomic fluorescence spectrophotometric method. The t-test and F-test were used to evaluate the significant difference of the within-bottle and between-bottle results with three batches. The RSDs of arsenic obtained in different time were compared with the relative expanding uncertainties to evaluate the stability. Average and variance of within-bottle and between-bottle results of arsenic were not different significantly. The RSDs of Arsenic were less than the relative expanding uncertainties. Quality controlling cosmetic samples containing arsenic were considered homogeneous and stable.

A comparison of bottles and snap traps for short-term small mammal sampling

Treesearch

James F. Taulman; Ronald E. Thill; T. Bently Wigley; M. Anthony Melchiors

1992-01-01

Bottles were tested as traps for small mammals. Used in conjunction with three types of snap traps over 30,240 trap nights, bottles captured eight (2%) of the total 421 mammals taken. Bottles were inefficient in capturing small mammals compared to snap traps.

21 CFR 165.110 - Bottled water.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... (3) Physical quality. Bottled water shall, when a composite of analytical units of equal volume from.... 1 (4) Chemical quality. (i)(A) Bottled water shall, when a composite of analytical units of equal... bottled water, when a composite of analytical units of equal volume from a sample is examined by the...

An analysis of antioxidants, organoleptics and hedonics with variations of boiling time in Jasmine tea and Jasmine root tea a study on Kaliprau, Pemalang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arifan, Fahmi; Winarni, Sri; Handoyo, Gentur; Nurdiana, Asri; Nabila Rahma H, Afkar; Risdiyanti, Sri

2018-05-01

There are so many jasmine plantations without any preservation and post production in Kaliprau, Pemalang. The aims of this research are analyzing the amount of antioxidant and organoleptic-hedonic test. The measurement of antioxidant used in this research is using DPPH. The organoleptic and hedonic test on 25 respondents. Jasmines that been used on this research are the flower and the root part. Through the test, some results have been found from the jasmine tea’s sampling with the boiling time of 15 minutes and it contain antioxidant for about 55.0% and 74.84% for the jasmine root tea. Whereas for the boiling time of 30 minutes, it contained 54.00% of antioxidant for the jasmine tea and 84.00% of antioxidant in jasmine root tea. Jasmine tea and jasmine root tea contains flavonoids. Despite the large amount of antioxidant were found in jasmine tea and jasmine root tea (50-100%). There’s a decreasing of antioxidant amount found in the samples, along with the prolonged boiling time. 84% of tresponden like the scent, flavor, color and the texture of jasmine tea and jasmine root tea. These products are finally accepted by the people and have its large amount of antioxidant contain for the jasmine tea.

Low-cost floating emergence net and bottle trap: Comparison of two designs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cadmus, Pete; Pomeranz, Justin; Kraus, Johanna M.

2016-01-01

Sampling emergent aquatic insects is of interest to many freshwater ecologists. Many quantitative emergence traps require the use of aspiration for collection. However, aspiration is infeasible in studies with large amounts of replication that is often required in large biomonitoring projects. We designed an economic, collapsible pyramid-shaped floating emergence trap with an external collection bottle that avoids the need for aspiration. This design was compared experimentally to a design of similar dimensions that relied on aspiration to ensure comparable results. The pyramid-shaped design captured twice as many total emerging insects. When a preservative was used in bottle collectors, >95% of the emergent abundance was collected in the bottle. When no preservative was used, >81% of the total insects were collected from the bottle. In addition to capturing fewer emergent insects, the traps that required aspiration took significantly longer to sample. Large studies and studies sampling remote locations could benefit from the economical construction, speed of sampling, and capture efficiency.

[Prevalence of dental fluorosis and consumption of hidden fluoride in school children in the municipality of Nezahualcóyotl].

PubMed

Chacón, Luis Fernando Galicia; López, María Lilia Adriana Juárez; Frechero, Nelly Molina

2009-01-01

Dental fluorosis is a dental tissue disease, characterized by hypomineralization resulting from excess fluoride reaching the developing tooth. In Mexico in recent years, the prevalence of fluorosis has increased by the exposure to different fluoridated sources such as those found in soft drinks and beverages. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of dental fluorosis among school children living in Nezahualcoyotl, state of Mexico and identify associated risk factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 455 children aged 6-13 years who had been assessed by a previously standardized observer following WHO criteria. We administered The Community Fluorosis index (FCI) and a survey that analyzed the exposure to fluorides hidden in carbonated drinks, juices, bottled water, tea and the use of fluoride toothpastes. The prevalence of dental fluorosis was 73.4%. Very mild and mild fluorosis were the more common levels. The Community Fluorosis index (ICF) was 1.18 +/- 0.80. School children living at Nezahualcoyotl that answered they did drink hidden fluorides > 0.71 ppm thought bottled beverages were more of a risk to develop dental fluorosis (RM 1,554, 95% CI 1.016-2.378, p<0.05). Dental fluorosis results from fluoride intake by different sources, however our study, consumption of fluoride hidden in soft and bottled drinks showed a significant correlation with observed fluorosis.

Effect of bottling and storage on the migration of plastic constituents in Spanish bottled waters.

PubMed

Guart, Albert; Bono-Blay, Francisco; Borrell, Antonio; Lacorte, Silvia

2014-08-01

Bottled water is packaged in either glass or, to a large extent, in plastic bottles with metallic or plastic caps of different material, shape and colour. Plastic materials are made of one or more monomers and several additives that can eventually migrate into water, either during bottle manufacturing, water filling or storage. The main objective of the present study was to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the quality of the Spanish bottled water market in terms of (i) migration of plastic components or additives during bottling and during storage and (ii) evaluation of the effect of the packaging material and bottle format on the migration potential. The compounds investigated were 5 phthalates, diethylhexyl adipate, alkylphenols and bisphenol A. A set of 362 bottled water samples corresponding to 131 natural mineral waters and spring waters sources and 3 treated waters of several commercial brands were analysed immediately after bottling and after one-year storage (a total of 724 samples). Target compounds were detected in 5.6% of the data values, with diethyl hexyl phthalate and bisphenol A being the most ubiquitous compounds detected. The total daily intake was estimated and a comparison with reference values was indicated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bottle-feeding histories of preterm infants.

PubMed

Pickler, R H; Mauck, A G; Geldmaker, B

1997-01-01

To describe the bottle-feeding histories of preterm infants and determine physical indices related to and predictive of bottle-feeding initiation and progression. Ex post facto. Academic medical center. A convenience sample of 40 preterm infants without concomitant cardiac, gastrointestinal, or cognitive impairment. Postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding, full bottle-feeding, and discharge. The morbidity rating, using the Neonatal Medical Index (NMI), was most strongly correlated with postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding (r = .34, p < .05), full bottle-feeding (r = .65, p < .01), and discharge (r = .55, p < .05). The morbidity rating also accounted for 12%, 42%, and 30% of the variance in postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding, full bottle-feeding, and discharge, respectively. The NMI may be a useful tool for predicting the initiation and progression of bottle-feeding in preterm infants.

Quantum-Dot-Based Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Detection of Neonicotinoid Residues in Tea Leaves.

PubMed

Wang, Shuangjie; Liu, Ying; Jiao, Shasha; Zhao, Ying; Guo, Yirong; Wang, Mengcen; Zhu, Guonian

2017-11-22

Neonicotinoid insecticides are commonly used for pest control on tea plantations as a result of their broad-spectrum activity. However, neonicotinoid residues released from tea leaves into tea infusions pose a dietary risk to consumers. Therefore, a rapid, sensitive, and reliable on-site detection method for neonicotinoids is needed. We developed a quantum-dot-based fluorescent lateral flow immunochromatographic strip (LFICS) combined with a broad-specific antibody for detection of typical neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, imidaclothiz, and clothianidin), with sensitivities [50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 )] of 0.104-0.33 ng/mL and visual detection limits of 0.5-1 ng/mL. The strip assay could be completed in less than 30 min. Using the LFICS to analyze spiked tea samples (green tea, black tea, and oolong tea), the average recovery of the three neonicotinoids ranged between 71 and 111%, with the coefficient of variation below 12%. The results from the LFICS tests for field samples were consistent with results from ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The newly developed strip is a useful tool for the on-site detection of neonicotinoid residues in tea.

Detection of caffeine in tea, instant coffee, green tea beverage, and soft drink by direct analysis in real time (DART) source coupled to single-quadrupole mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Zhao, Pengyue; Zhang, Fengzu; Bai, Aijuan; Pan, Canping

2013-01-01

Ambient ionization direct analysis in real time (DART) coupled to single-quadrupole MS (DART-MS) was evaluated for rapid detection of caffeine in commercial samples without chromatographic separation or sample preparation. Four commercial samples were examined: tea, instant coffee, green tea beverage, and soft drink. The response-related parameters were optimized for the DART temperature and MS fragmentor. Under optimal conditions, the molecular ion (M+H)+ was the major ion for identification of caffeine. The results showed that DART-MS is a promising tool for the quick analysis of important marker molecules in commercial samples. Furthermore, this system has demonstrated significant potential for high sample throughput and real-time analysis.

High fluoride and low pH level have been detected in popular flavoured beverages in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ha Rahim, Zubaidah; M Bakri, Marina; Hm, Zakir; Ia, Ahmed; Na, Zulkifli

2014-03-01

In children, excessive ingestion of fluoride from different sources including bottled drinking water and flavoured beverages or soft drinks can lead to the development of dental fluorosis. In addition, the pH level of beverages is important. Low pH can cause dental erosion. In this study we explore the fluoride content and pH level of certain popular beverages available in Malaysian supermarkets and hawkers' stalls. Bottled drinking water and selected popular flavoured packet drinks were purchased from a supermarket and the corresponding flavoured hawkers' drinks, from a hawker's stall in Kuala Lumpur. Fluoride and pH of the beverages were determined using digital fluoride meter and digital pH meter respectively. It was found that fluoride content and pH level vary among the beverages. The mean fluoride content in both packet and hawkers' drinks (7.64±1.88 mg/L, 7.51±1.60 mg/L, respectively) was approximately 7 times higher than the bottled drinking water (1.05±0.35 mg/L). Among the beverages, the tea packet drink was found to contain the highest amount of fluoride (13.02±0.23 mg/L). The mean pH of bottled-drinking water was near neutral (6.96±0.17), but acidic for both supermarket (4.78.00±0.49) and hawkers' drinks (5.73±0.24). The lychee packet drink had the lowest pH level (2.97±0.03). Due to the wide variation of the fluoride content and pH level of the drinks tested in this study, it is recommended that steps should be taken to control the fluoride concentration and pH level in beverages if dental fluorosis and erosion are to be prevented.

Organochlorine pesticides residues in bottled drinking water from Mexico City.

PubMed

Díaz, Gilberto; Ortiz, Rutilio; Schettino, Beatriz; Vega, Salvador; Gutiérrez, Rey

2009-06-01

This work describes concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in bottled drinking water (BDW) in Mexico City. The results of 36 samples (1.5 and 19 L presentations, 18 samples, respectively) showed the presence of seven pesticides (HCH isomers, heptachlor, aldrin, and p,p'-DDE) in bottled water compared with the drinking water standards set by NOM-127-SSA1-1994, EPA, and World Health Organization. The concentrations of the majority of organochlorine pesticides were within drinking water standards (0.01 ng/mL) except for beta-HCH of BW 3, 5, and 6 samples with values of 0.121, 0.136, and 0.192 ng/mL, respectively. It is important monitoring drinking bottled water for protecting human health.

Fluorescent Staining of Tea Pathogenic Fungi in Tea Leaves Using Fluorescein-labeled Lectin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Kengo; Yoshida, Katsuyuki; Sonoda, Ryoichi

Fluorochrome-labeled lectin, fluorescein conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (F-WGA) was applied to stain tea pathogenic fungi in tea leaf tissue. Infected leaves were fixed and decolorized with a mixture of ethanol and acetic acid, and cleared with 10% KOH for whole mount before staining with F-WGA. Hyphae of Pestalotiopsis longiseta, Pseudocercospora ocellata, Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum theae-sinensis fluoresced brightly in whole mount and sectioned samples of infected leaf tissue. In browned tissue, hyphae did not fluoresce frequently in whole mount sample. Autofluorescence of leaf tissue was strong in browned tissue of sections, it was removed by 10% KOH treatment before staining. Penetration hyphae of C. theae-sinensis in cell wall of trichome and hyphae in basal part of trichome did not fluoresced frequently. In whole mount samples of tea leaf infected with Exobasidium vexans and E. reticulatum, hymenia appeared on leaf surface fluoresced, but hyphae in leaf tissue did not fluoresce. In sectioned samples, hyphae fluoresced brightly when sections were treated with 10% KOH before staining.

Pyrrolizidine and tropane alkaloids in teas and the herbal teas peppermint, rooibos and chamomile in the Israeli market.

PubMed

Shimshoni, Jakob Avi; Duebecke, Arne; Mulder, Patrick P J; Cuneah, Olga; Barel, Shimon

2015-01-01

Dehydro pyrrolizidine alkaloids (dehydro PAs) are carcinogenic phytotoxins prevalent in the Boraginaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae families. Dehydro PAs enter the food and feed chain by co-harvesting of crops intended for human and animal consumption as well as by carry-over into animal-based products such as milk, eggs and honey. Recently the occurrence of dehydro PAs in teas and herbal teas has gained increasing attention from the EU, due to the high levels of dehydro PAs found in commercially available teas and herbal teas in Germany and Switzerland. Furthermore, several tropane alkaloids (TAs, e.g. scopolamine and hyoscyamine) intoxications due to the consumption of contaminated herbal teas were reported in the literature. The aim of the present study was to determine the dehydro PAs and TAs levels in 70 pre-packed teabags of herbal and non-herbal tea types sold in supermarkets in Israel. Chamomile, peppermint and rooibos teas contained high dehydro PAs levels in almost all samples analysed. Lower amounts were detected in black and green teas, while no dehydro PAs were found in fennel and melissa herbal teas. Total dehydro PAs concentrations in chamomile, peppermint and rooibos teas ranged from 20 to 1729 μg/kg. Except for black tea containing only mono-ester retrorsine-type dehydro PAs, all other teas and herbal teas showed mixed patterns of dehydro PA ester types, indicating a contamination by various weed species during harvesting and/or production. The TA levels per teabag were below the recommended acute reference dose; however, the positive findings of TAs in all peppermint tea samples warrant a more extensive survey. The partially high levels of dehydro PAs found in teas and herbal teas present an urgent warning letter to the regulatory authorities to perform routine quality control analysis and implement maximum residual levels for dehydro PAs.

Evaluation of the effect of green tea extract on mouth bacterial activity in the presence of propylene glycol.

PubMed

Moghbel, Abdolhossein; Farjzadeh, Ahmad; Aghel, Nasrin; Agheli, Homaun; Raisi, Nafiseh

2012-01-01

Compounds present in green tea have proved to inhibit the growth and activity of bacteria associated with infections. To assess the effects of green tea leaves extract in presence of propylene glycol on the aerobic mouth bacteria load. Saliva of 25 volunteer girl students aging 20-25 years were selected and evaluated by a mouthwash sample containing 1% tannin, as the most effective antibacterial complex in green tea. Comparative studies were also conducted between green tea mouthwashes containing 1% tannin and a similar sample with 10% propylene glycol added during extraction. This comparison was applied for a chlorhexidine 0.2% sample as a chemical mouthwash brand, too. There was a meaningful difference between the green tea mouthwashes containing 10% propylene glycol and the simple green tea extract (P < 0.05). Significant difference was also seen between the herbal and chemical mouthwashes (P < 0.05). The extract 1% tannin containing 10% propylene glycol reduced the aerobic mouth bacterial load of the student salvia about 64 percent. The pH monotonousness in different days and temperatures approved the stability of tannin in liquid water medium. Using green tea extract as a herbal mouthwash is safe and harmless specially for children and pregnant women. This result led us to suppose that green tea may prevent plaque formation on teeth, coming over halitosis due to mouth infection, too. These effects need to be approved in an in vivo trial as a second study.

Evaluation of ice-tea quality by DART-TOF/MS.

PubMed

Rajchl, Aleš; Prchalová, Jana; Kružík, Vojtěch; Ševčík, Rudolf; Čížková, Helena

2015-11-01

DART (Direct Analysis in Real Time) coupled with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (TOF/MS) has been used for analyses of ice-teas. The article focuses on quality and authenticity of ice-teas as one of the most important tea-based products on the market. Twenty-one samples of ice-teas (black and green) were analysed. Selected compounds of ice-teas were determined: theobromine, caffeine, total phenolic compounds, total soluble solids, total amino acid concentration, preservatives and saccharides were determined. Fingerprints of DART-TOF/MS spectra were used for comprehensive assessment of the ice-tea samples. The DART-TOF/MS method was used for monitoring the following compounds: citric acid, caffeine, saccharides, artificial sweeteners (saccharin, acesulphame K), and preservatives (sorbic and benzoic acid), phosphoric acid and phenolic compounds. The measured data were subjected to a principal components analysis. The HPLC and DART-TOF/MS methods were compared in terms of determination of selected compounds (caffeine, benzoic acid, sorbic acid and saccharides) in the ice-teas. The DART-TOF/MS technique seems to be a suitable method for fast screening, testing quality and authenticity of tea-based products. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fluid sampling system

DOEpatents

Houck, Edward D.

1994-01-01

An fluid sampling system allows sampling of radioactive liquid without spillage. A feed tank is connected to a liquid transfer jet powered by a pumping chamber pressurized by compressed air. The liquid is pumped upwardly into a sampling jet of a venturi design having a lumen with an inlet, an outlet, a constricted middle portion, and a port located above the constricted middle portion. The liquid is passed under pressure through the constricted portion causing its velocity to increase and its pressure to decreased, thereby preventing liquid from escaping. A septum sealing the port can be pierced by a two pointed hollow needle leading into a sample bottle also sealed by a pierceable septum affixed to one end. The bottle is evacuated by flow through the sample jet, cyclic variation in the sampler jet pressure periodically leaves the evacuated bottle with lower pressure than that of the port, thus causing solution to pass into the bottle. The remaining solution in the system is returned to the feed tank via a holding tank.

Fluid sampling system

DOEpatents

Houck, E.D.

1994-10-11

An fluid sampling system allows sampling of radioactive liquid without spillage. A feed tank is connected to a liquid transfer jet powered by a pumping chamber pressurized by compressed air. The liquid is pumped upwardly into a sampling jet of a venturi design having a lumen with an inlet, an outlet, a constricted middle portion, and a port located above the constricted middle portion. The liquid is passed under pressure through the constricted portion causing its velocity to increase and its pressure to be decreased, thereby preventing liquid from escaping. A septum sealing the port can be pierced by a two pointed hollow needle leading into a sample bottle also sealed by a pierceable septum affixed to one end. The bottle is evacuated by flow through the sample jet, cyclic variation in the sampler jet pressure periodically leaves the evacuated bottle with lower pressure than that of the port, thus causing solution to pass into the bottle. The remaining solution in the system is returned to the feed tank via a holding tank. 4 figs.

ICP-OES and Micronucleus Test to Evaluate Heavy Metal Contamination in Commercially Available Brazilian Herbal Teas.

PubMed

Schunk, Priscila Francisca Tschaen; Kalil, Ieda Carneiro; Pimentel-Schmitt, Elisangela Flavia; Lenz, Dominik; de Andrade, Tadeu Uggere; Ribeiro, Juliano Souza; Endringer, Denise Coutinho

2016-07-01

Increased tea consumption in combination with intensive pesticide use is generating heavy metal contaminations amongst Brazilian tea consumers, causing health concerns. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) was applied to quantify minerals and heavy metals such as aluminum, barium, cadmium, lead, cobalt, copper, chromium, tin, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, thallium, vanadium and zinc in Brazilian chamomile, lemongrass, fennel and yerba mate teas. Teas, purchased in local supermarkets, were prepared using infusion and acid digestion. Higher concentrations of Al were present in all samples. In the digested samples, the Al mean concentration was 2.41 μg g(-1) (sd = 0.72) for fennel and 33.42 μg g(-1) (sd = 17.18) for chamomile, whilst the sample C for chamomile tea presented the highest concentration with 51.62 μg g(-1) (sd = 9.17). The safety relation in decreasing order is fennel, lemongrass, chamomile and yerba mate. Chemometric analyses demonstrated a strong correlation between the elements Cd and Pb in the samples. Yerba mate had the highest amount of metal (100 mg kg(-1)), being the subject of a micronucleus test assay for cytotoxicity. The metals found in Yerba mate did not present cytotoxicity/mutagenicity using the micronucleus test. The inorganic contaminants in teas should have their impact carefully monitored.

[Determination of buprofezin, methamidophos, acephate, and triazophos residues in Chinese tea samples by gas chromatography].

PubMed

Zhang, Shuiba; Yi, Jun; Ye, Jianglei; Zheng, Wenhui; Cai, Xueqin; Gong, Zhenbin

2004-03-01

A method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of buprofezin, methamidophos, acephate and triazophos residues in Chinese tea samples. The pesticide residues were extracted from tea samples with a mixture of ethyl acetate and n-hexane (50:50, v/v) at 45 degrees C. The extracts were subsequently treated with a column packed with 40 mg of active carbon by gradient elution with ethyl acetate and n-hexane. Buprofenzin and the three organophosphorus pesticides were analyzed by gas chromatography using a DB-210 capillary column and a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. The recoveries for spiked standards were 73.4%-96.9%. The relative standard deviations were all within 4.63%. The limits of quantitation (3sigma) in the tea samples were about 7.0-12.0 microg/kg.

A comparative study of volatile components in Dianhong teas from fresh leaves of four tea cultivars by using chromatography-mass spectrometry, multivariate data analysis, and descriptive sensory analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Zhang, Chenxia; Kong, Yawen; Peng, Xiaopei; Li, Changwen; Liu, Shunhang; Du, Liping; Xiao, Dongguang; Xu, Yongquan

2017-10-01

Dianhong teas produced from fresh leaves of different tea cultivars (YK is Yunkang No. 10, XY is Xueya 100, CY is Changyebaihao, SS is Shishengmiao), were compared in terms of volatile compounds and descriptive sensory analysis. A total of 73 volatile compounds in 16 tea samples were tentatively identified. YK, XY, CY, and SS contained 55, 53, 49, and 51 volatile compounds, respectively. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were used to classify the samples, and 40 key components were selected based on variable importance in the projection. Moreover, 11 flavor attributes, namely, floral, fruity, grass/green, woody, sweet, roasty, caramel, mellow and thick, bitter, astringent, and sweet aftertaste were identified through descriptive sensory analysis (DSA). In generally, innate differences among the tea varieties significantly affected the intensities of most of the key sensory attributes of Dianhong teas possibly because of the different amounts of aroma-active and taste components in Dianhong teas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacteriological quality of drinking water from dispensers (coolers) and possible control measures.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Andreas; Grand, Marius

2006-12-01

Three water dispensers (coolers) were bacteriologically monitored over a period of 3 months to evaluate their hygienic status. For this purpose, 174 samples of chilled and unchilled water were analyzed for levels of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and the presence of Escherichia coli and enterococci in 100-ml samples, and the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 10- and 100-ml samples. Additionally, 12 samples from 20-liter plastic bottles of spring water used to supply the coolers and 36 samples of 12 different brands of noncarbonated bottled mineral water were similarly analyzed. Water from the coolers yielded aerobic plate counts of 3 to 5 log CFU/ml with a geometric mean of 3.86 log CFU/ml, whereas water from the 20-liter bottles had a mean aerobic plate count of 3.3 log CFU/ml. Aerobic plate counts for noncarbonated mineral waters were generally lower (13 samples, < 10 CFU/ml; 6 samples, 10 to 10(2) CFU/ml; 13 samples, 10(2) to 10(3) CFU/ml; 3 samples, 10(3) to 10(4) CFU/ ml; 1 sample, 2 x 10(4) CFU/ml). Although occasional professional cleaning of the coolers did not affect the aerobic plate count, P. aeruginosa was successfully eliminated 2 weeks after cleaning, with only one cooler becoming recolonized. Neither E. coli nor enterococci was found in any of the water samples tested. However, P. aeruginosa was identified in three (25%) of twelve 100-ml samples from 20-liter bottles of spring water; a similar frequency of 24.1% was seen for water samples from coolers. Overall, 35 (21.6%) of 162 water samples (10 ml) from coolers also yielded P. aeruginosa, suggesting potential growth of P. aeruginosa in the dispensers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing and antibiotic susceptibility testing found 19 P. aeruginosa isolates from the coolers and bottles to be identical, indicating that a single strain originated from the bottled water rather than the surroundings of the coolers. Because P. aeruginosa can cause serious nosocomial infections, its spread should be strictly controlled in institutions caring for vulnerable people such as hospitals and nursing homes. Consequently, in keeping with legal requirement for bottled spring and mineral water in Switzerland, it is also advisable that P. aeruginosa be absent in 100-ml samples of cooler water.

Thermal Battery Operating Gas Atmosphere Control and Heat Transfer Optimization

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

volume of water vapor present at 21.8 C in sample bottles std atm cc 1.533645 Maximum volume of water vapor present at 21.8 C in gas handling system and...sample bottles std atm cc Comparison of gas volumes measured at 838.197 and 1682.297 seconds shows that no water vapor was present and that the gas reacted...temperature of 22.0 ºC torr 0.241556 Maximum volume of water vapor present in one sample bottle std atm cc 0.000194 Maximum weight of water vapor present

Investigation on biochemical compositional changes during the microbial fermentation process of Fu brick tea by LC-MS based metabolomics.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Hu, Feng-Lin; Wang, Wei; Wan, Xiao-Chun; Bao, Guan-Hu

2015-11-01

Fu brick tea (FBT) is a unique post-fermented tea product which is fermented with fungi during the manufacturing process. In this study, we investigated the biochemical compositional changes occurring during the microbial fermentation process (MFP) of FBT based on non-targeted LC-MS, which was a comprehensive and unbiased methodology. Our data analysis took a two-phase approach: (1) comparison of FBT with other tea products using PCA analysis to exhibit the characteristic effect of MFP on the formation of Fu brick tea and (2) comparison of tea samples throughout the MFP of FBT to elucidate the possible key metabolic pathways produced by the fungi. Non-targeted LC-MS analysis clearly distinguished FBT with other tea samples and highlighted some interesting metabolic pathways during the MFP including B ring fission catechin. Our study demonstrated that those fungi had a significant influence on the biochemical profiles in the FBT and consequently contributed to its unique quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability of green tea catechins in commercial tea leaves during storage for 6 months.

PubMed

Friedman, Mendel; Levin, C E; Lee, S-U; Kozukue, N

2009-03-01

To help meet the needs of consumers, producers of dietary tea products, and researchers for information on health-promoting tea ingredients, we determined by HPLC 7 catechins [(-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-catechin (C), (+)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), (-)-gallocatechin 3-gallate (GCG), (-)-epicatechin 3-gallate (ECG), and (-)-catechin 3-gallate (CG)] in samples of 8 commercial green tea leaves of unknown history sold as tea bags in the United States, Korea, and Japan. The samples were stored at 20 degrees C and sampled at 1 wk and 1, 2, 4, and 6 mo. The following ranges in the initial values (0 controls) were observed (in mg/g tea leaves): EGC and C, 0 to trace amounts; EC, 1.9 to 21.1; EGCG, 13.3 to 113.0; GCG, 0.2 to 1.6; ECG, 5.7 to 50.5; CG 0.5 to 3.7; total catechins 36.5 to 169.7. Statistical analysis of the results and plots of changes in individual and total catechin levels as a function of storage time indicate a progressive decrease in the content in the total levels, most of which is due to losses in the most abundant catechins, EGCG and ECG. Possible mechanisms of degradations of catechins during storage and the possible significance of the results to consumers of tea are discussed.

Physicochemical properties of some bottled water brands in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Hesham Z; Mohammed, Heba A G; Hafez, Afaf M

2014-08-01

Many people use bottled water instead of tap water for many reasons such as taste, ease of carrying, and thinking that it is safer than tap water. Irrespective of the reason, bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. In Egypt, this is still increasing to reach 3.8 l/person/day, despite its high price compared with tap water. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical quality of some bottled water brands and to compare the quality with that reported on manufacture's labeling, Egyptian, and International standards. Fourteen bottled water brands were selected from the local markets of Alexandria city. Three bottles from each brand were randomly sampled, making a total sample size of 42 bottles. Sampling occurred between July 2012 and September 2012. Each bottle was analyzed for its physicochemical parameter and the average was calculated for each brand. The results obtained were compared with the Egyptian standard for bottled water, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and with bottled water labels. In all bottles in the study, pH values ranged between 7.21 and 8.23, conductivity ranged between 195 and 675 μs/cm, and total dissolved solids, sulfate, chloride, and fluoride were within the range specified by the FDA. Calcium concentrations ranged between 2.7373 and 29.2183 mg/l, magnesium concentrations ranged between 5.7886 and 17.6633 mg/l, sodium between 14.5 and 205.8 mg/l, and potassium between 6.5 and 29.8 mg/l. For heavy metals such as iron, zinc, copper, and manganese, all of them were in conformity with the Egyptian standards and FDA, but nickel concentration in 11 brands was higher than the Egyptian standards. Twelve brands were higher than the Egyptian standards in cadmium concentration, but on comparison with FDA there were only five brands exceeding limits. Lead concentrations were out of range for all brands. On comparison with the labeled values, the quality of bottled water was not complying with labeled values. Physicochemical parameters in all bottled water examined brands were consistent with the Egyptian Standard and FDA, except for total dissolved solids, nickel, cadmium, and lead. Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference (P<0.05) in all parameters tested between different brands. Values on the bottled water labels were not in agreement with analytical results.

Installation Restoration Program. Phase II. Confirmation McClellan AFB, California. Volume 2.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

ARM SYSTE . Hazard Assesment Rating Methodology. HEAD. Height of the free surface of fluid above any point in a hydrau- lic...pest/herb/metals) previous sample was insuf- 1 gallon bottle ficient. Hydrocarbons were (GC/NS) on top of water surface , I VDA bottle about 1/2 inch... surface . Water became 1 quart polyeth- silty during bailing. Samples ylene bottle waere obtained using the glass/ (cyanide) Teflon sampler. Both the

Phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activities of Chinese dark teas obtained by different processing technologies.

PubMed

Lv, Hai-Peng; Zhang, Yue; Shi, Jiang; Lin, Zhi

2017-10-01

Dark teas are rich in secondary metabolites, such as phenolics and flavonoids, which have been suggested to be associated with their health benefits. In this study, the concentrations of tea polyphenols, tea pigments, catechins, flavonoids, alkaloid, and volatile components in 44 dark tea samples, including Pu-erh, Fuzhuan and Liubao teas, were systematically examined. Among the samples tested, Pu-erh tea contained the highest total flavonoid content (5.24±0.05%), followed by Liubao (4.45±0.61%) and Fuzhuan teas (3.33±0.23%). The tea polyphenols levels in the dark teas were approximately 10%, and no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were found among the different types. Hexadecanoic acid was the most abundant aroma component in the dark teas, accounting for 15-20% of the total volatile oils. Moreover, the antioxidant activities of these dark teas were analyzed using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay (HepG2 cells). The fat metabolism modulation activities (FMMA) of the dark teas were tested using a high-throughput screening method (SMMC-7221 cells). The results indicated that the different dark teas had diverse antioxidant activities, and the variation in the activities was significant. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the levels of EGCG and antioxidant activities measured using the ABTS (r=0.916) and FRAP (r=0.853) assays, and the levels of total flavonoids and theabrownins correlated well with the values determined using the CAA (r=0.845 and 0.865, respectively) assay. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of Bottled Liquid Waste During Remediation of the Hanford 618-10 Burial Ground - 13001

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faulk, Darrin E.; Pearson, Chris M.; Vedder, Barry L.

2013-07-01

A problematic waste form encountered during remediation of the Hanford Site 618-10 burial ground consists of bottled aqueous waste potentially contaminated with regulated metals. The liquid waste requires stabilization prior to landfill disposal. Prior remediation activities at other Hanford burial grounds resulted in a standard process for sampling and analyzing liquid waste using manual methods. Due to the highly dispersible characteristics of alpha contamination, and the potential for shock sensitive chemicals, a different method for bottle processing was needed for the 618-10 burial ground. Discussions with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)more » led to development of a modified approach. The modified approach involves treatment of liquid waste in bottles, up to one gallon per bottle, in a tray or box within the excavation of the remediation site. Bottles are placed in the box, covered with soil and fixative, crushed, and mixed with a Portland cement grout. The potential hazards of the liquid waste preclude sampling prior to treatment. Post treatment verification sampling is performed to demonstrate compliance with land disposal restrictions and disposal facility acceptance criteria. (authors)« less

The determination of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations and their tisanes.

PubMed

Pohl, Pawel; Dzimitrowicz, Anna; Jedryczko, Dominika; Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna; Welna, Maja; Jamroz, Piotr

2016-10-25

Elemental analysis of herbal teas and their tisanes is aimed at assessing their quality and safety in reference to specific food safety regulations and evaluating their nutritional value. This survey is dedicated to atomic spectroscopy and mass spectrometry element detection methods and sample preparation procedures used in elemental analysis of herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations. Referring to original works from the last 15 years, particular attention has been paid to tisane preparation, sample matrix decomposition, calibration and quality assurance of results in elemental analysis of herbal teas by different atomic and mass spectrometry methods. In addition, possible sources of elements in herbal teas and medicinal plant formulations have been discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coca tea consumption causes positive urine cocaine assay.

PubMed

Mazor, Suzan S; Mycyk, Mark B; Wills, Brandon K; Brace, Larry D; Gussow, Leon; Erickson, Timothy

2006-12-01

Coca tea, derived from the same plant that is used to synthesize cocaine, is commonly consumed in South America and easily obtained in the United States. To determine whether consumption of coca tea would result in a positive urine toxicology screen for cocaine metabolites. Five healthy adult volunteers consumed coca tea and underwent serial quantitative urine testing for cocaine metabolites by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. The cutoff for a positive assay was chosen at 300 ng/ml, the National Institute on Drug Abuse standard. Each participant's urine cocaine assay was positive (level exceeding 300 ng/ml) by 2 h after ingestion. Three out of five participants' samples remained positive at 36 h. Mean urine benzoylecgonine concentrations in all postconsumption samples was 1777 ng/ml (95% confidence interval: 1060-2495). Coca tea ingestion resulted in a positive urine assay for cocaine metabolite. Healthcare professionals should consider a history of coca tea ingestion when interpreting urine toxicology results.

Moisture content and gas sampling device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krieg, H. C., Jr. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An apparatus is described for measuring minute quantities of moisture and other contaminants within sealed enclosures such as electronic assemblies which may be subject to large external atmospheric pressure variations. An array of vacuum quality valves is arranged to permit cleansing of the test apparatus of residual atmospheric components from a vacuum source. This purging operation evacuates a gas sample bottle, which is then connected by valve settings to provide the drive for withdrawing a gas sample from the sealed enclosure under test into the sample bottle through a colometric detector tube (Drager tube) which indicates moisture content. The sample bottle may be disconnected and its contents (drawn from the test enclosure) separately subjected to mass spectrograph analysis.

A True Eddy Accumulation - Eddy Covariance hybrid for measurements of turbulent trace gas fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siebicke, Lukas

2016-04-01

Eddy covariance (EC) is state-of-the-art in directly and continuously measuring turbulent fluxes of carbon dioxide and water vapor. However, low signal-to-noise ratios, high flow rates and missing or complex gas analyzers limit it's application to few scalars. True eddy accumulation, based on conditional sampling ideas by Desjardins in 1972, requires no fast response analyzers and is therefore potentially applicable to a wider range of scalars. Recently we showed possibly the first successful implementation of True Eddy Accumulation (TEA) measuring net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide of a grassland. However, most accumulation systems share the complexity of having to store discrete air samples in physical containers representing entire flux averaging intervals. The current study investigates merging principles of eddy accumulation and eddy covariance, which we here refer to as "true eddy accumulation in transient mode" (TEA-TM). This direct flux method TEA-TM combines true eddy accumulation with continuous sampling. The TEA-TM setup is simpler than discrete accumulation methods while avoiding the need for fast response gas analyzers and high flow rates required for EC. We implemented the proposed TEA-TM method and measured fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and water vapor (H2O) above a mixed beech forest at the Hainich Fluxnet and ICOS site, Germany, using a G2301 laser spectrometer (Picarro Inc., USA). We further simulated a TEA-TM sampling system using measured high frequency CO2 time series from an open-path gas analyzer. We operated TEA-TM side-by-side with open-, enclosed- and closed-path EC flux systems for CO2, H2O and CH4 (LI-7500, LI-7200, LI-6262, LI-7700, Licor, USA, and FGGA LGR, USA). First results show that TEA-TM CO2 fluxes were similar to EC fluxes. Remaining differences were similar to those between the three eddy covariance setups (open-, enclosed- and closed-path gas analyzers). Measured TEA-TM CO2 fluxes from our physical sampling system closely reproduced dynamics of simulated TEA-TM fluxes. In conclusion this study introduces a new approach to trace gas flux measurements using transient-mode true eddy accumulation. First TEA-TM CO2 fluxes compared favorably with side-by-side EC fluxes, in agreement with our previous experiments comparing discrete TEA to EC. True eddy accumulation has thus potential for measuring turbulent fluxes of a range of atmospheric tracers using slow response analyzers.

Multiresidue determination of pesticides in tea by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Saito-Shida, Shizuka; Nemoto, Satoru; Teshima, Reiko

2015-01-01

An efficient and reliable GC-MS/MS method for the multiresidue determination of pesticides in tea was developed by modifying the Japanese official multiresidue method. Sample preparation was carefully optimized for the efficient removal of coextracted matrix components. The optimal sample preparation procedure involved swelling of the sample in water; extraction with acetonitrile; removal of water by salting-out; and sequential cleanup by ODS, graphitized carbon black/primary secondary amine (GCB/PSA) and silica gel cartridges prior to GC-MS/MS analysis. The recoveries of 162 pesticides from fortified (at 0.01 mg kg(-1)) green tea, oolong tea, black tea and matcha (powdered green tea) were mostly (95-98% of the tested pesticides) within the range of 70-120%, with relative standard deviations of <20%. Poor recovery of triazole pesticides was considered to be due to low recovery from the silica gel cartridges. The test solutions obtained by the modified method contained relatively small amounts of pigments, caffeine and other matrix components and were cleaner than those obtained by the original Japanese official multiresidue method. No interfering peaks were observed in the blank chromatograms, indicating the high selectivity of the modified method. The overall results suggest that the developed method is suitable for the quantitative analysis of GC-amenable pesticide residues in tea.

High-Throughput Analytical Techniques for the Determination of the Residues of 653 Multiclass Pesticides and Chemical Pollutants in Tea, Part VII: A GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, and LC-MS/MS Study of the Degradation Profiles of Pesticide Residues in Green Tea.

PubMed

Chang, Qiao-Ying; Pang, Guo-Fang; Fan, Chun-Lin; Chen, Hui; Yang, Fang; Li, Jie; Wen, Bi-Fang

2016-11-01

GC-MS, GC-tandem MS (MS/MS), and LC-MS/MS were used to mathematically define the degradation profiles of pesticide residues in two field trials. Nineteen pesticides were studied in the first field trial and 11 in the second. The results of the field trials demonstrated that the degradation profiles of pesticide residues in green tea can be described with power functions to successfully estimate the amount of time, following pesticide application, pesticide residues appearing in tea in concentrations at and/or above the maximum residue limit (MRL) decrease to concentrations below the MRL. Stability tests on green tea samples stored at room temperature were conducted to determine whether pesticide-incurred green tea samples prepared according to the method used in the field trials would be suitable for the preparation of reference standards for laboratory-proficiency testing trials. This paper reports the results of a GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, and LC-MS/MS study, as well as the suitability of the samples prepared under these conditions for use as pesticide reference standards in tea analysis.

Evaluation of the Effect of Green Tea Extract on Mouth Bacterial Activity in the Presence of Propylene Glycol

PubMed Central

Moghbel, Abdolhossein; Farjzadeh, Ahmad; Aghel, Nasrin; Agheli, Homaun; Raisi, Nafiseh

2012-01-01

Background Compounds present in green tea have proved to inhibit the growth and activity of bacteria associated with infections. Objectives To assess the effects of green tea leaves extract in presence of propylene glycol on the aerobic mouth bacteria load. Materials and Methods Saliva of 25 volunteer girl students aging 20-25 years were selected and evaluated by a mouthwash sample containing 1% tannin, as the most effective antibacterial complex in green tea. Comparative studies were also conducted between green tea mouthwashes containing 1% tannin and a similar sample with 10% propylene glycol added during extraction. This comparison was applied for a chlorhexidine 0.2% sample as a chemical mouthwash brand, too. Results There was a meaningful difference between the green tea mouthwashes containing 10% propylene glycol and the simple green tea extract (P < 0.05). Significant difference was also seen between the herbal and chemical mouthwashes (P < 0.05). The extract 1% tannin containing 10% propylene glycol reduced the aerobic mouth bacterial load of the student salvia about 64 percent. The pH monotonousness in different days and temperatures approved the stability of tannin in liquid water medium. Conclusions Using green tea extract as a herbal mouthwash is safe and harmless specially for children and pregnant women. This result led us to suppose that green tea may prevent plaque formation on teeth, coming over halitosis due to mouth infection, too. These effects need to be approved in an in vivo trial as a second study. PMID:24624155

Determination of pesticide and phthalate residues in tea by QuEChERS method and their fate in processing.

PubMed

Yadav, Sapna; Rai, Satyajeet; Srivastava, Ashutosh K; Panchal, Smita; Patel, D K; Sharma, V P; Jain, Sudha; Srivastava, L P

2017-01-01

In this study, the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method was applied for the analysis of the multiclass pesticide residues of 12 organochlorines (OCs), 9 organophosphates (OPs), 11 synthetic pyrethroids (SPs), 4 herbicides, 6 phthalates in raw tea (loose tea, branded tea and herbal tea), and tea infusion in 4 different containers (glass cup, earthen cup, plastic bag and disposal cup). In loose tea and branded tea residues, malathion (0.257 and 0.118 mg kg -1 ), cypermethrin (0.065 and 0.030 mg kg -1 ), and fenvalerate (0.032 and 0.030 mg kg -1 ) were detected, respectively. In herbal tea, residues of only cypermethrin (0.053 mg kg -1 ) and fenvalerate (0.045 mg kg -1 ) were detected. Tea infusion samples contained in a plastic bag were found to be contaminated with only dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (0.038 mg kg -1 ). Disposable cup was found to be contaminated with DBP (0.026 mg kg -1 ) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) (0.004 mg kg -1 ). Further, to know the processing behavior of pesticides, the spiked raw tea was subjected to tea infusion at different brewing times (2, 5, 10 min). The analysis demonstrated that dimethoate, dichlorvos, and malathion had shown more than 10 % of translocation at 5 min of brewing time. Further brewing for 10 min revealed the reduction in concentration of pesticides. Leaching of phthalate residues from different plastic containers was also studied at 10, 30, and 60 min. DBP, benzyl butyl phthalate (BzBP), and di-2-(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were leached in the tea infusion samples packed in plastic bags. On the other hand, in disposable cups, leaching of DBP, DEP, and dimethyl phthalate were found. The concentration of phthalate residues increased with retention time. Pesticide and phthalate contaminants were recorded at low quantities in few samples only.

Evaluation of the Snap Sampler for Sampling Ground Water Monitoring Wells for VOCs and Explosives

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

prevent losses due to sorption . The time needed for equilibration will depend on the sampling device (and the materials in the sampler), the physical...bottles contain a perfluoroalkoxy ( PFA ) Teflon-coated spring mechanism that is connected to PFA Teflon end caps at both ends of the bottles...materials: polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) Kynar tubing or PFA Teflon tubing. These samplers are deployed in the well with the end caps of the bottle

Fluoride and bacterial content of bottled drinking water versus municipal tap water.

PubMed

Mythri, H; Chandu, G N; Prashant, G M; Subba Reddy, V V

2010-01-01

Water is a divine gift. People quench their thirst without questioning the source of water. But, apprehension about contaminants in municipal water supplies along with increased fear of fluorosis made bottled drinking water as one of the important tradable commodities. The objectives of the study were to determine and compare the fluoride and bacterial contents of commercially available bottled drinking water and municipal tap water in Davangere city, Karnataka. Fifty samples of 10 categories of bottled drinking water with different batch numbers were purchased and municipal water from different sources were collected. Fluoride levels were determined by an ion-selective electrode. Water was cultured quantitatively and levels of bacteria were calculated as colony-forming units (CFUs) per milliliter. Descriptive analysis of water samples for fluoride concentration was in the range of 0.07-0.33 for bottled drinking water, Bisleri showing the highest of 0.33. A comparison of the mean values of microbial count for bottled drinking water with that of municipal tap water showed no statistically significant difference, but was more than the standard levels along with the presence of fungus and maggots. The fluoride concentration was below the optimal level for both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water. CFUs were more than the recommended level in both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water.

Profiling elements in Puerh tea from Yunnan province, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianyang; Ma, Guicen; Chen, Liyan; Liu, Ting; Liu, Xin; Lu, Chengyin

2017-09-01

Puerh tea, as the most representative Chinese dark tea, has attracted global interest in recent years. Profiling the levels of metal elements in Puerh tea is very important since its presence is related to human health. In this study, 41 elements in 98 Puerh tea samples from Yunnan province, China including Puerh raw tea and Puerh ripe tea were evaluated by microwave digestion combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry . The content of toxic elements, essential elements and rare earth elements of Puerh tea from different regions was discussed in detail. The concentrations of Ba, Cr, As, Pb, Bi, Fe, Zn, V, Mn, Be, Ag and Tl showed significant differences (p < 0.05) by ANOVA analysis. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were used to describe the relationship of Puerh tea from different regions. This study provided a comprehensive database for Puerh tea quality control and intake risk assessment.

Fluoride in Ceylon tea and its implications to dental health.

PubMed

Chandrajith, Rohana; Abeypala, Uthpala; Dissanayake, C B; Tobschall, H J

2007-10-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the fluoride content of Ceylon Tea, which is a popular beverage throughout the world. The fluoride content of tea infusions prepared from different grades of tea leaves collected from different parts of the tea-growing regions (25 samples) of Sri Lanka was measured using a fluoride-selective electrode. Fluoride leaching was found to vary from 0.32 to 1.69 mg F/l, but there were no significant differences in terms of fluoride leaching between tea from different tea-growing regions or between tea of different grades. Dental fluorosis is widespread throughout the dry zone of Sri Lanka, and drinking water has traditionally been considered to be the main contributory factor to the development of fluorosis. However, diet, the consumption of tea in particular, may also contribute to the manifestation of dental diseases.

21 CFR 129.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... CONSUMPTION PROCESSING AND BOTTLING OF BOTTLED DRINKING WATER General Provisions § 129.3 Definitions. For the... inspected and the water sampled, analyzed, and found to be of a safe and sanitary quality according to... means all water which is sealed in bottles, packages, or other containers and offered for sale for human...

Assessment of metal contaminations leaching out from recycling plastic bottles upon treatments.

PubMed

Cheng, Xiaoliang; Shi, Honglan; Adams, Craig D; Ma, Yinfa

2010-08-01

Heavy metal contaminants in environment, especially in drinking water, are always of great concern due to their health impact. Due to the use of heavy metals as catalysts during plastic syntheses, particularly antimony, human exposure to metal release from plastic bottles has been a serious concern in recent years. The aim and scope of this study were to assess metal contaminations leaching out from a series of recycling plastic bottles upon treatments. In this study, leaching concentrations of 16 metal elements were determined in 21 different types of plastic bottles from five commercial brands, which were made of recycling materials ranging from no. 1 to no. 7. Several sets of experiments were conducted to study the factors that could potentially affect the metal elements leaching from plastic bottles, which include cooling with frozen water, heating with boiling water, microwave, incubating with low-pH water, outdoor sunlight irradiation, and in-car storage. Heating and microwave can lead to a noticeable increase of antimony leaching relative to the controls in bottle samples A to G, and some even reached to a higher level than the maximum contamination level (MCL) of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulations. Incubation with low-pH water, outdoor sunlight irradiation, and in-car storage had no significant effect on antimony leaching relative to controls in bottle samples A to G, and the levels of antimony leaching detected were below 6 ppb which is the MCL of USEPA regulations. Cooling had almost no effect on antimony leaching based on our results. For the other interested 15 metal elements (Al, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Ba, Tl, Pb), no significant leaching was detected or the level was far below the MCL of USEPA regulations in all bottle samples in this study. In addition, washing procedure did contribute to the antimony leaching concentration for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. The difference of antimony leaching concentration between washing procedure involved and no washing procedure involved (AC) was larger than zero for samples A to G. This interesting result showed that higher antimony concentration was detected in experiments with no washing procedures compared with those experiments with washing procedures. Our study results indicate that partial antimony leaching from PET bottles comes from contaminations on the surface of plastic during manufacturing process, while major antimony leaching comes from conditional changes. The results revealed that heating and microwaving enhance antimony leaching significantly in PET plastic bottles. Plastic bottle manufacturers should consider the contaminations during manufacturing process and washing bottles before first use was strongly recommended to remove those contaminants.

Water and beverage consumption among adults in the United States: cross-sectional study using data from NHANES 2005–2010

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Few studies have examined plain water consumption among US adults. This study evaluated the consumption of plain water (tap and bottled) and total water among US adults by age group (20-50y, 51-70y, and ≥71y), gender, income-to-poverty ratio, and race/ethnicity. Methods Data from up to two non-consecutive 24-hour recalls from the 2005–2006, 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was used to evaluate usual intake of water and water as a beverage among 15,702 US adults. The contribution of different beverage types (e.g., water as a beverage [tap or bottled], milk [including flavored], 100% fruit juice, soda/soft drinks [regular and diet], fruit drinks, sports/energy drinks, coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages) to total water and energy intakes was examined. Total water intakes from plain water, beverages, and food were compared to the Adequate Intake (AI) values from the US Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI). Total water volume per 1,000 kcal was also examined. Results Water and other beverages contributed 75-84% of dietary water, with 17-25% provided by water in foods, depending on age. Plain water, from tap or bottled sources, contributed 30-37% of total dietary water. Overall, 56% of drinking water volume was from tap water while bottled water provided 44%. Older adults (≥71y) consumed much less bottled water than younger adults. Non-Hispanic whites consumed the most tap water, whereas Mexican-Americans consumed the most bottled water. Plain water consumption (bottled and tap) tended to be associated with higher incomes. On average, younger adults exceeded or came close to satisfying the DRIs for water. Older men and women failed to meet the Institute of Medicine (IOM) AI values, with a shortfall in daily water intakes of 1218 mL and 603 mL respectively. Eighty-three percent of women and 95% of men ≥71y failed to meet the IOM AI values for water. However, average water volume per 1,000 kcal was 1.2-1.4 L/1,000 kcal for most population sub-groups, higher than suggested levels of 1.0 L/1.000 kcal. Conclusions Water intakes below IOM-recommended levels may be a cause for concern, especially for older adults. PMID:24219567

Water and beverage consumption among children age 4-13y in the United States: analyses of 2005–2010 NHANES data

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Few studies have examined water consumption patterns among US children. Additionally, recent data on total water consumption as it relates to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) are lacking. This study evaluated the consumption of plain water (tap and bottled) and other beverages among US children by age group, gender, income-to-poverty ratio, and race/ethnicity. Comparisons were made to DRI values for water consumption from all sources. Methods Data from two non-consecutive 24-hour recalls from 3 cycles of NHANES (2005–2006, 2007–2008 and 2009–2010) were used to assess water and beverage consumption among 4,766 children age 4-13y. Beverages were classified into 9 groups: water (tap and bottled), plain and flavored milk, 100% fruit juice, soda/soft drinks (regular and diet), fruit drinks, sports drinks, coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Total water intakes from plain water, beverages, and food were compared to DRIs for the US. Total water volume per 1,000 kcal was also examined. Results Water and other beverages contributed 70-75% of dietary water, with 25-30% provided by moisture in foods, depending on age. Plain water, tap and bottled, contributed 25-30% of total dietary water. In general, tap water represented 60% of drinking water volume whereas bottled water represented 40%. Non-Hispanic white children consumed the most tap water, whereas Mexican-American children consumed the most bottled water. Plain water consumption (bottled and tap) tended to be associated with higher incomes. No group of US children came close to satisfying the DRIs for water. At least 75% of children 4-8y, 87% of girls 9-13y, and 85% of boys 9-13y did not meet DRIs for total water intake. Water volume per 1,000 kcal, another criterion of adequate hydration, was 0.85-0.95 L/1,000 kcal, short of the desirable levels of 1.0-1.5 L/1,000 kcal. Conclusions Water intakes at below-recommended levels may be a cause for concern. Data on water and beverage intake for the population and by socio-demographic group provides useful information to target interventions for increasing water intake among children. PMID:23782914

Water and beverage consumption among children age 4-13y in the United States: analyses of 2005-2010 NHANES data.

PubMed

Drewnowski, Adam; Rehm, Colin D; Constant, Florence

2013-06-19

Few studies have examined water consumption patterns among U.S. children. Additionally, recent data on total water consumption as it relates to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) are lacking. This study evaluated the consumption of plain water (tap and bottled) and other beverages among US children by age group, gender, income-to-poverty ratio, and race/ethnicity. Comparisons were made to DRI values for water consumption from all sources. Data from two non-consecutive 24-hour recalls from 3 cycles of NHANES (2005-2006, 2007-2008 and 2009-2010) were used to assess water and beverage consumption among 4,766 children age 4-13y. Beverages were classified into 9 groups: water (tap and bottled), plain and flavored milk, 100% fruit juice, soda/soft drinks (regular and diet), fruit drinks, sports drinks, coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Total water intakes from plain water, beverages, and food were compared to DRIs for the U.S. Total water volume per 1,000 kcal was also examined. Water and other beverages contributed 70-75% of dietary water, with 25-30% provided by moisture in foods, depending on age. Plain water, tap and bottled, contributed 25-30% of total dietary water. In general, tap water represented 60% of drinking water volume whereas bottled water represented 40%. Non-Hispanic white children consumed the most tap water, whereas Mexican-American children consumed the most bottled water. Plain water consumption (bottled and tap) tended to be associated with higher incomes. No group of U.S. children came close to satisfying the DRIs for water. At least 75% of children 4-8y, 87% of girls 9-13y, and 85% of boys 9-13y did not meet DRIs for total water intake. Water volume per 1,000 kcal, another criterion of adequate hydration, was 0.85-0.95 L/1,000 kcal, short of the desirable levels of 1.0-1.5 L/1,000 kcal. Water intakes at below-recommended levels may be a cause for concern. Data on water and beverage intake for the population and by socio-demographic group provides useful information to target interventions for increasing water intake among children.

Comparison of Metabolomics Approaches for Evaluating the Variability of Complex Botanical Preparations: Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) as a Case Study.

PubMed

Kellogg, Joshua J; Graf, Tyler N; Paine, Mary F; McCune, Jeannine S; Kvalheim, Olav M; Oberlies, Nicholas H; Cech, Nadja B

2017-05-26

A challenge that must be addressed when conducting studies with complex natural products is how to evaluate their complexity and variability. Traditional methods of quantifying a single or a small range of metabolites may not capture the full chemical complexity of multiple samples. Different metabolomics approaches were evaluated to discern how they facilitated comparison of the chemical composition of commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] products, with the goal of capturing the variability of commercially used products and selecting representative products for in vitro or clinical evaluation. Three metabolomic-related methods-untargeted ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), targeted UPLC-MS, and untargeted, quantitative 1 HNMR-were employed to characterize 34 commercially available green tea samples. Of these methods, untargeted UPLC-MS was most effective at discriminating between green tea, green tea supplement, and non-green-tea products. A method using reproduced correlation coefficients calculated from principal component analysis models was developed to quantitatively compare differences among samples. The obtained results demonstrated the utility of metabolomics employing UPLC-MS data for evaluating similarities and differences between complex botanical products.

Comparison of Metabolomics Approaches for Evaluating the Variability of Complex Botanical Preparations: Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) as a Case Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A challenge that must be addressed when conducting studies with complex natural products is how to evaluate their complexity and variability. Traditional methods of quantifying a single or a small range of metabolites may not capture the full chemical complexity of multiple samples. Different metabolomics approaches were evaluated to discern how they facilitated comparison of the chemical composition of commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] products, with the goal of capturing the variability of commercially used products and selecting representative products for in vitro or clinical evaluation. Three metabolomic-related methods—untargeted ultraperformance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), targeted UPLC-MS, and untargeted, quantitative 1HNMR—were employed to characterize 34 commercially available green tea samples. Of these methods, untargeted UPLC-MS was most effective at discriminating between green tea, green tea supplement, and non-green-tea products. A method using reproduced correlation coefficients calculated from principal component analysis models was developed to quantitatively compare differences among samples. The obtained results demonstrated the utility of metabolomics employing UPLC-MS data for evaluating similarities and differences between complex botanical products. PMID:28453261

Metabonomics approach to determine metabolic differences between green tea and black tea consumption.

PubMed

Van Dorsten, Ferdi A; Daykin, Clare A; Mulder, Theo P J; Van Duynhoven, John P M

2006-09-06

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of black and green tea consumption on human metabolism. Seventeen healthy male volunteers consumed black tea, green tea, or caffeine in a randomized crossover study. Twenty-four-hour urine and blood plasma samples were analyzed by NMR-based metabonomics, that is, high-resolution 1H NMR metabolic profiling combined with multivariate statistics. Green and black tea consumption resulted in similar increases in urinary excretion of hippuric acid and 1,3-dihydroxyphenyl-2-O-sulfate, both of which are end products of tea flavonoid degradation by colonic bacteria. Several unidentified aromatic metabolites were detected in urine specifically after green tea intake. Interestingly, green and black tea intake also had a different impact on endogenous metabolites in urine and plasma. Green tea intake caused a stronger increase in urinary excretion of several citric acid cycle intermediates, which suggests an effect of green tea flavanols on human oxidative energy metabolism and/or biosynthetic pathways.

Fluoride concentration in community water and bottled drinking water: a dilemma today.

PubMed

Dhingra, S; Marya, C M; Jnaneswar, A; Kumar, H

2013-01-01

Because of the potential for contamination of municipal water supplies, people appear to be turning to alternative sources for their pure drinking water. The present study analyzed the fluoride concentration in community water and bottled drinking water sold in Faridabad city. A comparative evaluation of fluoride content in community water supply and bottled drinking water was done using ion-selective electrode method. The community water samples were collected from six different areas (i.e. north zone, south zone, east zone, west zone and central zone) in the city from public health water supply taps while bottled drinking water samples were randomly picked from grocery shops or supermarkets. The fluoride concentration in the community water supply in this study ranges from 0.11 to 0.26 mg/L with mean fluoride concentration of 0.17 mg/L. The mean concentration of fluoride in bottled drinking water was 0.06 mg/L. The differences observed between mean of two water samples was statistically significant. The results obtained from the present study clearly state that the fluoride concentration was insufficient in community water supply from all the areas and also was deficient in bottled drinking water sold in Faridabad city. So, Alternative sources of fluorides should be supplemented for optimal dental benefits from the use of fluoride.

High-throughput analytical techniques for multiresidue, multiclass determination of 653 pesticides and chemical pollutants in tea--Part III: Evaluation of the cleanup efficiency of an SPE cartridge newly developed for multiresidues in tea.

PubMed

Pang, Guo-Fang; Fan, Chun-Lin; Chang, Qiao-Ying; Li, Yan; Kang, Jian; Wang, Wen-Wen; Cao, Jing; Zhao, Yan-Bing; Li, Nan; Li, Zeng-Yin; Chen, Zong-Mao; Luo, Feng-Jian; Lou, Zheng-Yun

2013-01-01

A comparative study was conducted over three stages on the cleanup efficiency of SPE cartridge Cleanert TPT, newly developed for multigroups of pesticide residues in tea. In Stage I, different SPE cartridges C18, graphite carbon black (GCB), primary secondary amine (PSA), and amino (NH2) were purchased and combined into 12 different sequences. Through the comparative test on cleanup efficiency of 84 representative pesticides in tea, Envi-Carb GCB + PSA with a good cleanup effect was selected. In Stage II, GC/MS test results from the comparative study of the extraction efficiency of 201 pesticides spiked into green tea and Woolong tea with Cleanert TPT and Envi-Carb + PSA SPE showed that average recoveries fell within 70-110% and RSD <20% for 193 and 184 pesticides, respectively, for green tea, accounting for 96.0 and 91.0% of the total number, respectively. GC/MS/MS test results also found 193 and 184 pesticides, respectively, meeting the recovery and RSD conditions, accounting for 96.0 and 91.5%, respectively, of the total number. For Woolong tea samples, GC/MS results showed that with Cleanert TPT and Envi-Carb + PSA SPE for cleanup, there were 192 and 177 pesticides, respectively, meeting the conditions, accounting for 95.5 and 88.1% of the total number, respectively. GC/MS/MS results demonstrated that there were 195 and 184 pesticides, respectively, meeting the conditions, accounting for 97.0 and 91.5% of the total number, respectively. It was seen that Cleanert TPT was superior to Envi-Carb + PSA in cleanup efficiency, whether for green or Woolong tea samples, or GC/MS or GC/MS/MS determination. In Stage III, 61104 results of the average content value of pesticides and RSD (two teas xtwo Youden pair concentrations x two kinds of SPE cartridges x two instruments x 19 tests x 201 pesticides) were derived from the 19 times stability tests over 3 months by paralleling three samples every 5 days via two instruments with two kinds of SPE cartridges for cleanup, respectively, against Youden Pair samples of the 201 incurred pesticides from green and Woolong teas. The statistical analysis found that detected values from the target pesticides of the incurred Youden pair samples showed no marked differences with cleanup by either Cleanert TPT or Envi-Carb + PSA, whether for green or Woolong tea, or G/IMS or G/IM/IMS. The test results using the two aforementioned kinds of SPE cleanup for above 93% pesticides had a tolerance less than 15%, which testifies that both cartridge cleanups met the requirement for pesticide residue analysis.

9 CFR 113.29 - Determination of moisture content in desiccated biological products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... bottles with airtight glass stoppers. (2) Vacuum oven equipped with validated thermometer and thermostat... samples of completed product shall be tested. The weight loss of the sample due to drying in a vacuum oven... labeled sample-weighing bottles with stoppers should be allowed to dry at 60 ±3 °C under vacuum at less...

9 CFR 113.29 - Determination of moisture content in desiccated biological products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... bottles with airtight glass stoppers. (2) Vacuum oven equipped with validated thermometer and thermostat... samples of completed product shall be tested. The weight loss of the sample due to drying in a vacuum oven... labeled sample-weighing bottles with stoppers should be allowed to dry at 60 ±3 °C under vacuum at less...

9 CFR 113.29 - Determination of moisture content in desiccated biological products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... bottles with airtight glass stoppers. (2) Vacuum oven equipped with validated thermometer and thermostat... samples of completed product shall be tested. The weight loss of the sample due to drying in a vacuum oven... labeled sample-weighing bottles with stoppers should be allowed to dry at 60 ±3 °C under vacuum at less...

[Chemical and sensory characterization of tea (Thea sinensis) consumed in Chile].

PubMed

Wittig de Penna, Emma; José Zúñiga, María; Fuenzalida, Regina; López-Planes, Reinaldo

2005-03-01

By means of descriptive analysis four varieties of tea (Thea sinensis) were assesed: Argentinean OP (orange pekoe) tea (black), Brazilian OP tea (black), Ceylan OP tea (black) and Darjeeling OP tea (green). The appearance of dry tea leaves were qualitatively characterized comparing with dry leaves standard. The attributes: colour, form, regularity of the leaves, fibre and stem cutting were evaluated The differences obtained were related to the differences produced by the effect of the fermentation process. Flavour and aroma descriptors of the tea liqueur were generated by a trained panel. Colour and astringency were evaluated in comparison with qualified standards using non structured linear scales. In order to relate the sensory analysis and the chemical composition for the different varieties of tea, following determinations were made: chemical moisture, dry material, aqueous extract, tannin and caffeine. Through multifactor regression analysis the equations in relation to the following chemical parameters were determined. Dry material, aqueous extract and tannins for colour and moisture, dry material and aqueous extract for astringency, respectively. Statistical analysis through ANOVA (3 variation sources: samples, judges and replications) showed for samples four significant different groups for astringency and three different groups for colour. No significant differences between judges or repetitions were found. By multifactor regression analysis of both, colour and astringency, on their dependence of chemist results were calculated in order to asses the corresponding equations.

Ambient Profiling of Phenolic Content in Tea Infusions by Matrix-Assisted Ionization in Vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, Robert B.

2018-05-01

Matrix-assisted ionization in vacuum (MAIV) was used to analyze the polyphenol content of ten different tea infusions. Nine different Camellia sinensis infusions were analyzed including three green teas, two black teas, two oolong teas, jasmine tea, and white tea. An infusion of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea was also analyzed. Each freshly brewed tea was diluted 1:1 with methanol, and 100 ppm of phenolphthalein was added as an internal standard. An excess of 3-nitrobenzonitrile (NBN) was added to each vial, and the solution containing NBN crystals was analyzed by aspiration directly into the mass spectrometer sampling orifice. A working curve constructed for dilutions of catechin with phenolphthalein internal standard showed good linearity for five replicates of each concentration. The measured relative abundances of flavonoid polyphenols in each tea were in good agreement with previously reported values. Polyphenol content in tea infusions varied from 19.2 to 108.6 mg 100 mL-1. In addition to the expected catechin flavonoids, abundant quinic acid and gallic acid was detected in the C. sinensis infusions. Characteristic A. linearis flavonoids were detected in the rooibos tea.

Highly selective defluoridation of brick tea infusion by tea waste supported aluminum oxides.

PubMed

Peng, Chuanyi; Xi, Junjun; Chen, Guijie; Feng, Zhihui; Ke, Fei; Ning, Jingming; Li, Daxiang; Ho, Chi-Tang; Cai, Huimei; Wan, Xiaochun

2017-03-01

Brick tea usually contains very high fluoride, which may affect human health. Biosorbents have received much attention for selective removal of fluoride because of low cost, environmental friendliness, and relative safeness. In the present study, a highly selective fluoride tea waste based biosorbent, namely, aluminum (Al) oxide decorated tea waste (Tea-Al), was successfully prepared. The Tea-Al biosorbent was characterized by energy-dispersive spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis. The Tea-Al sample exhibited remarkably selective adsorption for fluoride (52.90%), but a weaker adsorption for other major constituents of brick tea infusion, such as catechins, polyphenols and caffeine, under the same conditions. Fluoride adsorption by Tea-Al for different times obeyed the surface reaction and adsorption isotherms fit the Freundlich model. In addition, the fluoride adsorption mechanism appeared to be an ion exchange between hydroxyl and fluoride ions. Results from this study demonstrated that Tea-Al is a promising biosorbent useful for the removal of fluoride in brick tea infusion. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sample preparation method influences direct identification of anaerobic bacteria from positive blood culture bottles using MALDI-TOF MS.

PubMed

Jeverica, Samo; Nagy, Elisabeth; Mueller-Premru, Manica; Papst, Lea

2018-05-15

Rapid detection and identification of anaerobic bacteria from blood is important to adjust antimicrobial therapy by including antibiotics with activity against anaerobic bacteria. Limited data is available about direct identification of anaerobes from positive blood culture bottles using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS). In this study, we evaluated the performance of two sample preparation protocols for direct identification of anaerobes from positive blood culture bottles, the MALDI Sepsityper kit (Sepsityper) and the in-house saponin (saponin) method. Additionally, we compared two blood culture bottle types designed to support the growth of anaerobic bacteria, the BacT/ALERT-FN Plus (FN Plus) and the BACTEC-Lytic (Lytic), and their influence on direct identification. A selection of 30 anaerobe strains belonging to 22 different anaerobic species (11 reference strains and 19 clinical isolates) were inoculated to 2 blood culture bottle types in duplicate. In total, 120 bottles were inoculated and 99.2% (n = 119) signalled growth within 5 days of incubation. The Sepsityper method correctly identified 56.3% (n = 67) of anaerobes, while the saponin method correctly identified 84.9% (n = 101) of anaerobes with at least log(score) ≥1.6 (low confidence correct identification), (p < 0.001). Gram negative anaerobes were better identified with the saponin method (100% vs. 46.5%; p < 0.001), while Gram positive anaerobes were better identified with the Sepsityper method (70.8% vs. 62.5%; p = 0.454). Average log(score) values among only those isolates that were correctly identified simultaneously by both sample preparation methods were 2.119 and 2.029 in favour of the Sepsityper method, (p = 0.019). The inoculated bottle type didn't influence the performance of the two sample preparation methods. We confirmed that direct identification from positive blood culture bottles with MALDI-TOF MS is reliable for anaerobic bacteria. However, the results are influenced by the sample preparation method used. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-Irradiation Effects on 99Mo Reagents and Products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carson, S.D.; Garcia, M.J.; McDonald, M.J.

1998-10-07

produced in 1996 and shipped to pharmaceutical houses for evaluation of compatibility with oxime solution used to precipitate `?vfo as the oxime complex is both air and light-sensitive, and containing a black precipitate that forms during shipment, presumably as a result of self- irradiation. Addition of sodium hypochlorite to the product solution prior to shipment prevents precipitate formation, indicating the precipitate is a reduced form of `%lo. to remove any precipitate. Duplicate aliquots of the filtered samples were titrated to a phenolphthalein irradiation and afler standing at room temperature for 86.4 hours. Precipitates were washed to a FTIR analysis ofmore » the white precipitate showed it to be alpha benzoin oxime. Since the basic After 86.4 hours, no precipitate had formed in bottles containing sodium hypochlorite. Black precipitate had formed in all bottles that did not contain sodium hypochlorite after 14.4 hours. The precipitate appeared to initially form on the surface of the HDPE sample bottles and Black precipitate was first noticed in sample set 1 after 28.8 hrs' irradiation. No visible sample containing precipitate was kept at room temperature in the original bottle. Precipitate in sample sets 2 and 3. Since no precipitate formed in these bottles, this was equivalent to duplicate samples. Once the precipitate in the 20-mL aliquots that had been set aside had returned to sample sets 1 through 3 and the samples with redissolved precipitate all experienced an average decrease in base strength of 0.013 meq mL-l. Sample 1-C had a decrease of 0.004 meq mL-l and sample 1-D had returned to the initial value of 0.198 meq mL-l. Raman spectra for the black precipitate from samples l-C, 1-D and supplemental sample set 1 Fig. 2. Raman spectra of the black precipitate formed in 9%40 product solutions after 28.8,43.2, 72 and 86.4 hours of `oCo irradiation in Sandia's Gamma Irradiation Facility. increase with time, as seen in the titration of 1-C and 1-D samples. The precipitate does not expect to see precipitate in the glass bottles. The fact that no precipitate is observed when the no precipitate is observed in a glass container is an indication that the rates of molybdenum that precipitate does not form when the solution is in a glass bottle. A hydrogen source other« less

What's Wrong with the Tap? Examining Perceptions of Tap Water and Bottled Water at Purdue University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saylor, Amber; Prokopy, Linda Stalker; Amberg, Shannon

2011-09-01

The environmental impacts of bottled water prompted us to explore drinking water choices at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, IN. A random sample of 2,045 Purdue University students, staff, and faculty was invited to participate in an online survey. The survey assessed current behaviors as well as perceived barriers and benefits to drinking tap water versus bottled water. 677 surveys were completed for a response rate of 33.1%. We then conducted qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of university undergraduates ( n = 21) to obtain contextual insights into the survey results and the beliefs of individuals with a variety of drinking water preferences. This study revealed that women drink disproportionately more bottled water then men while undergraduate students drink more than graduate students, staff and faculty. The study also uncovered a widespread belief that recycling eliminates the environmental impacts of bottled water. Important barriers to drinking tap water at Purdue include: perceived risks from tap water and the perceived safety of bottled water, preferring the taste of bottled water, and the convenience of drinking bottled water. The qualitative interviews revealed that drinking water choices can be influenced by several factors—especially whether individuals trust tap water to be clean—but involve varying levels of complexity. The implications of these results for social marketing strategies to promote tap water are discussed.

What's wrong with the tap? Examining perceptions of tap water and bottled water at Purdue University.

PubMed

Saylor, Amber; Prokopy, Linda Stalker; Amberg, Shannon

2011-09-01

The environmental impacts of bottled water prompted us to explore drinking water choices at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, IN. A random sample of 2,045 Purdue University students, staff, and faculty was invited to participate in an online survey. The survey assessed current behaviors as well as perceived barriers and benefits to drinking tap water versus bottled water. 677 surveys were completed for a response rate of 33.1%. We then conducted qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of university undergraduates (n = 21) to obtain contextual insights into the survey results and the beliefs of individuals with a variety of drinking water preferences. This study revealed that women drink disproportionately more bottled water then men while undergraduate students drink more than graduate students, staff and faculty. The study also uncovered a widespread belief that recycling eliminates the environmental impacts of bottled water. Important barriers to drinking tap water at Purdue include: perceived risks from tap water and the perceived safety of bottled water, preferring the taste of bottled water, and the convenience of drinking bottled water. The qualitative interviews revealed that drinking water choices can be influenced by several factors-especially whether individuals trust tap water to be clean-but involve varying levels of complexity. The implications of these results for social marketing strategies to promote tap water are discussed.

Physical, chemical and microbial analysis of bottled drinking water.

PubMed

Sasikaran, S; Sritharan, K; Balakumar, S; Arasaratnam, V

2012-09-01

People rely on the quality of the bottled drinking water, expecting it to be free of microbial contamination and health hazards. To evaluate the quality of bottled drinking water sold in Jaffna peninsula by analysing the physical, chemical and microbial contents and comparing with the recommended Sri Lankan Standard (SLS) values. All bottled water samples sold in Jaffna peninsula were collected. Electrical conductivity, total dissolved solid, pH, calcium, nitrate, total aerobic and anaerobic count, coliform bacterial count and faecal contamination were checked. These are 22 brands of bottled drinking water sold in Jaffna peninsula. The sample had very low electrical conductivity when compared with SLS (750 μS/ cm) and varied from 19 to 253 μS/cm with the mean of 80.53 (±60.92) μS/cm. The pH values of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 4.11 to 7.58 with a mean of 6.2 (±0.75). The total dissolved solid content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 9 to 123.67 mg/l with a mean of 39.5 (±30.23) mg/l. The calcium content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 6.48 to 83.77 mg/l with a mean of 49.9 (±25.09) mg/l. The nitrate content of the bottled drinking water brands varied from 0.21 to 4.19 mg/l with the mean of 1.26 (±1.08) mg/l. Aerobic bacterial count varied from 0 to 800 colony forming unit per ml (cfu/ml) with a mean of 262.6 (±327.50) cfu/ml. Among the 22 drinking bottled water brands 14 and 9% of bottled drinking water brands showed fungal and coliform bacterial contaminants respectively. The water brands which contained faecal contamination had either Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp. The bottled drinking water available for sale do not meet the standards stipulated by SLS.

Bioavailability of catechins from tea: the effect of milk.

PubMed

van het Hof, K H; Kivits, G A; Weststrate, J A; Tijburg, L B

1998-05-01

To assess the blood concentration of catechins following green or black tea ingestion and the effect of addition of milk to black tea. Twelve volunteers received a single dose of green tea, black tea and black tea with milk in a randomized cross-over design with one-week intervals. Blood samples were drawn before and up to eight hours after tea consumption. The study was performed at the Unilever Research Vlaardingen in The Netherlands. Twelve healthy adult volunteers (7 females, 5 males) participated in the study. They were recruited among employees of Unilever Research Vlaardingen. Green tea, black tea and black tea with semi-skimmed milk (3 g tea solids each). Consumption of green tea (0.9 g total catechins) or black tea (0.3 g total catechins) resulted in a rapid increase of catechin levels in blood with an average maximum change from baseline (CVM) of 0.46 micromol/l (13%) after ingestion of green tea and 0.10 micromol/l (13%) in case of black tea. These maximum changes were reached after (mean (s.e.m.)) t=2.3 h (0.2) and t=2.2 h (0.2) for green and black tea respectively. Blood levels rapidly declined with an elimination rate (mean (CVM)) of t1/2=4.8 h (5%) for green tea and t1/2=6.9 h (8%) for black tea. Addition of milk to black tea (100 ml in 600 ml) did not significantly affect the blood catechin levels (areas under the curves (mean (CVM) of 0.53 h. micromol/l (11%) vs 0.60 h. micromol/l (9%) for black tea and black tea with milk respectively. Catechins from green tea and black tea are rapidly absorbed and milk does not impair the bioavailability of tea catechins.

Dissipation Pattern, Processing Factors, and Safety Evaluation for Dimethoate and Its Metabolite (Omethoate) in Tea (Camellia Sinensis).

PubMed

Pan, Rong; Chen, Hong-Ping; Zhang, Ming-Lu; Wang, Qing-Hua; Jiang, Ying; Liu, Xin

2015-01-01

Residue levels of dimethoate and its oxon metabolite (omethoate) during tea planting, manufacturing, and brewing were investigated using a modified QuEChERS sample preparation and gas chromatography. Dissipation of dimethoate and its metabolite in tea plantation followed the first-order kinetic with a half-life of 1.08-1.27 d. Tea manufacturing has positive effects on dimethoate dissipation. Processing factors of dimethoate are in the range of 2.11-2.41 and 1.41-1.70 during green tea and black tea manufacturing, respectively. Omethoate underwent generation as well as dissipation during tea manufacturing. Sum of dimethoate and omethoate led to a large portion of 80.5-84.9% transferring into tea infusion. Results of safety evaluation indicated that omethoate could bring higher human health risk than dimethoate due to its higher hazard quotient by drinking tea. These results would provide information for the establishment of maximum residue limit and instruction for the application of dimethoate formulation on tea crop.

Effect of different brewing times on soluble oxalate content of loose-packed black teas and tea bags.

PubMed

Mahdavi, Reza; Lotfi Yagin, Neda; Liebman, Michael; Nikniaz, Zeinab

2013-02-01

Because of the postulated role of increased dietary oxalate intake in calcium oxalate stone formation, the effect of different brewing times on soluble oxalate contents of loose-packed black tea and tea bags was studied. The oxalate content of 25 different samples of loose-packed black teas after brewing at 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 min and of ten brands of tea bags after infusion for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min was measured by enzymatic assay. The oxalate concentration resulting from different brewing times ranged from 4.3 to 6.2 mg/240 ml for loose-packed black teas and from 2.7 to 4.8 mg/240 ml for tea bags. There was a stepwise increase in oxalate concentration associated with increased brewing times.

Physical therapy clinic therapeutic ultrasound equipment as a source for bacterial contamination.

PubMed

Spratt, Henry G; Levine, David; Tillman, Larry

2014-10-01

A procedure commonly used in physical therapy (PT) clinics is therapeutic ultrasound (US). This equipment and associated gel comes in contact with patient skin, potentially serving as a reservoir for bacteria. In this study, we sampled US heads, gel bottle tips and gel from nine outpatient PT clinics in Southeastern Tennessee. Samples were collected using sterile swabs. At the microbiology laboratory, these swabs were used to inoculate mannitol salt agar and CHROM-MRSA agar (for Staphylococcal species) and tryptic soy broth to determine non-specific bacterial contamination. US heads, gel bottle tips and gel had variable levels of contamination. Tips of gel bottles had the highest contamination, with 52.7% positive for non-specific bacterial contamination and 3.6% positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Contamination of gel by non-specific bacteria was found in 14.5% of bottles sampled. US heads (35.5% of those sampled) had non-specific bacterial contamination, with no MRSA detected. Disinfecting US heads after initial swabbing resulted in removal of 90.9% of non-specific contamination. Gel storage at temperatures below 40 °C was found to encourage the growth of mesophilic bacteria. This study demonstrates the need for better cleaning and storage protocols for US heads and gel bottles in PT clinics.

Water and beverage consumption patterns among 4 to 13-year-old children in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Vieux, Florent; Maillot, Matthieu; Constant, Florence; Drewnowski, Adam

2017-05-19

The UK government has announced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. The aim of this study was to assess consumption patterns for plain drinking water relative to sugary beverages among UK children. Dietary intake data for 845 children aged 4-13 years came from the nationally representative cross-sectional National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 2008-2011. Beverage categories were drinking water (tap or bottled), milk, 100% fruit juices, soda, fruit drinks, tea, coffee, sports drinks, flavored waters, and liquid supplements. Consumption patterns were examined by age group, gender, household incomes, time and location of consumption, region and seasonality. Total water consumption from drinking water, beverages, and foods, and the water-to-calorie ratios (L/kcal) were compared to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) adequate intake standards. Total water intake (1338 ml/d) came from plain water (19%), beverages (48%), and food moisture (33%). Plain drinking water provided 258 g/d (241 g/d for children aged 4-8 years; 274 g/d for 9-13 years), mostly (83.8%) from tap. Water and beverages supplied 901 g /d of water. Tap water consumption increased with income and was highest in the South of England. The consumption of bottled water, soda, tea and coffee increased with age, whereas milk consumption declined. About 88.7% of children did not meet EFSA adequate intake standards. The daily water shortfall ranged from 322 ml/d to 659 ml/d. Water-to-calorie ratio was 0.845 L/1000 kcal short of desirable levels of 1.0-1.5 L/1000 kcal. Total water intake were at 74.8% of EFSA reference values. Drinking water consumption among children in the UK was well below US and French estimates.

Dietary risk evaluation for 28 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tea preparations made of teas available on the Polish retail market.

PubMed

Roszko, Marek; Kamińska, Marta; Szymczyk, Krystyna; Jędrzejczak, Renata

2018-01-02

The aim of this work was to assess dietary risk resulting from consumption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with tea infusions. To this end, levels of 28 PAHs in black, green, red and white teas available on the Polish retail market have been assessed. Profiles and correlation between concentrations of individual PAHs have been identified. A model study on transfer of PAHs from tea leaves into tea preparations has been conducted. Relatively high concentrations of 28 evaluated PAHs have been found in 58 tested samples of black, green, red and white teas sampled on the Polish retail market. Total concentration ∑28PAH ranged from 57 to 696 µg kg -1 with mean 258 µg kg -1 (dry tea leaves). The most mature tea leaves fermented to a small degree contained relatively the highest PAH levels among all four tested tea types. Relatively low PAH transfer rates into tea infusions and limited volumes of the consumed tea keep the risks associated with PAH dietary intake at a safely low level. The worst-case scenario dietary intake values were 7.62/0.82/0.097 ng kg -1 b.w. day -1 (estimated on the basis of the maximum found concentrations 696/113/23 µg kg -1 and maximum observed transfer rates 24/16/9%) for ∑28PAH/∑PAH4/B[a]P, respectively. MOE values calculated using the above worst case estimates exceeded 700,000 and 400,000 (BMDL 10 0.07 and 0.34 mg kg -1 b.w. day -1 ) for B[a]P and PAH4, respectively. Both B[a]P and PAH4 concentrations may be used as indicators of total PAH concentration in tea leaves; PAH4 slightly better fits low molecular weight PAHs. Several correlations between various PAHs/groups of PAHs have been identified, the strongest one (R 2 = 0.92) between PAH4 and EU PAH 15+1.

Potential use of tea extract as a complementary mouthwash: comparative evaluation of two commercial samples.

PubMed

Esimone, C O; Adikwu, M U; Nwafor, S V; Okolo, C O

2001-10-01

To evaluate the potential of using tea extracts as complementary mouthwash and to test the comparative efficacy of two commercial samples. A randomized controlled trial with 30 healthy human volunteers was carried out. The subjects were randomly assigned to 5 groups of 6 subjects per group. The ability of Ndu tea (from Cameroon) and Lipton tea (from Nigeria) to reduce colony forming units (CFU) in the liquid expectorated after 60 seconds of gargling from the mouth of the volunteers at 5 and 60 minutes were evaluated. These were compared to the values obtained from bank water and Minty Brett (thymol 0.047%), a standard antiseptic. University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. Thirty healthy human volunteers (18 males and 12 females, between 22-30 years of age) who met the eligibility requirement of being nonsmokers and not taking any other antimicrobial agent were selected for the study. Relative to the bank water, the results indicated that the hot water extract of both teas significantly (p < 0.05) reduced CFU per milliliter in the liquid expectorated after gargling at both 5 and 60 minutes. Minty Brett showed higher activity than both tea extracts; however, unlike Minty Brett both extracts still reduced the CFU per milliliter at time 60 minutes (an indication of longer duration of activity). The combination of the tea extracts with sodium lauryl sulfate (1.2% w/v), a surfactant and emulsifier, significantly increased the antimicrobial activity relative to each tea alone. Comparatively, the activity of Ndu tea was found to be slightly higher than that of Lipton tea but this was not significant (p < 0.05). Lipton and Ndu tea extracts potently reduced the CFU per milliliter. This activity was potentiated by sodium lauryl sulfate. Although Minty Brett had more potent antimicrobial activity, both tea extracts have longer duration of activity. The results indicate the potential usefulness of tea extracts as a complementary mouthwash.

Monitoring of essential and heavy metals in green tea from different geographical origins.

PubMed

Brzezicha-Cirocka, Justyna; Grembecka, Małgorzata; Szefer, Piotr

2016-03-01

The present study measured the concentrations of toxic metals (Cd, Pb) and other elements (Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Ni) in tea leaves and their infusions. The total metal contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Phosphorus concentration was determined using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. Assessment of the mineral composition enabled determination of the leaching percentage and the risk of exceeding provisional tolerable weekly intake for Cd through daily tea consumption. The concentrations of bioelements were analyzed based on the recommended daily intake values for each. According to recently established standards, green tea was found to be a rich source of Mn. The average Pb and Cd levels in a 200-mL beverage were 0.002 and 0.003 mg, respectively. Indian teas had the highest percentage of Cd leaching (43.8%) and Chinese tea had the lowest (9.41%). Multivariate analysis techniques such as factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to differentiate samples according to geographical origin (China, India, or Japan). Potassium, P, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, and Cd were effective descriptors for the identification of tea samples from China, India, and Japan.

Age determination of bottled Chinese rice wine by VIS-NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Haiyan; Lin, Tao; Ying, Yibin; Pan, Xingxiang

2006-10-01

The feasibility of non-invasive visible and near infrared (VIS-NIR) spectroscopy for determining wine age (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years) of Chinese rice wine was investigated. Samples of Chinese rice wine were analyzed in 600 mL square brown glass bottles with side length of approximately 64 mm at room temperature. VIS-NIR spectra of 100 bottled Chinese rice wine samples were collected in transmission mode in the wavelength range of 350-1200 nm by a fiber spectrometer system. Discriminant models were developed based on discriminant analysis (DA) together with raw, first and second derivative spectra. The concentration of alcoholic degree, total acid, and °Brix was determined to validate the NIR results. The calibration result for raw spectra was better than that for first and second derivative spectra. The percentage of samples correctly classified for raw spectra was 98%. For 1-, 2-, and 3-year-old sample groups, the sample were all correctly classified, and for 4- and 5-year-old sample groups, the percentage of samples correctly classified was 92.9%, respectively. In validation analysis, the percentage of samples correctly classified was 100%. The results demonstrated that VIS-NIR spectroscopic technique could be used as a non-invasive, rapid and reliable method for predicting wine age of bottled Chinese rice wine.

iTRAQ-based proteomics monitors the withering dynamics in postharvest leaves of tea plant (Camellia sinensis).

PubMed

Wu, Zhi-Jun; Ma, Hong-Yu; Zhuang, Jing

2018-02-01

Tea plant [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is a typical leaf-type beverage crop. Many secondary metabolites, such as tea polyphenols, theanine, and caffeine that accumulated in tea leaves are beneficial to human health. The fresh leaves of tea plant are harvested and timely processed into tea products with different flavors. The withering of fresh tea leaves is the first step in tea processing and directly affects tea color, taste, and fragrance. To understand the molecular mechanism that influences tea quality during withering, we investigated the dynamic changes in the proteome of postharvest tea leaves in four withering stages (0, 1, 4, and 12 h treatments). A total of 863 unique differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified by iTRAQ. The up- and down-regulated DEPs and the protein-protein interaction networks in different samples presented dynamic changes in their characteristics. The results of the functional annotation revealed that the molecular characteristics of tea withering are similar to leaf senescence. The biosynthesis of main tea-specific compounds that constitute tea color, taste, and fragrance of tea is restricted during withering. The substance transformation and degradation may have positive contributions to tea quality in withering technology. The proteome dynamics can be a useful aid for understanding the withering mechanisms and providing available information for functional discovery of proteins in the future.

Long-Term Green Tea Supplementation Does Not Change the Human Gut Microbiota

PubMed Central

Janssens, Pilou L. H. R.; Penders, John; Hursel, Rick; Budding, Andries E.; Savelkoul, Paul H. M.; Westerterp-Plantenga, Margriet S.

2016-01-01

Background Green tea catechins may play a role in body weight regulation through interactions with the gut microbiota. Aim We examined whether green tea supplementation for 12 weeks induces changes in composition of the human gut microbiota. Methods 58 Caucasian men and women were included in a randomized, placebo-controlled design. For 12 weeks, subjects consumed either green tea (>0.56 g/d epigallocatechin-gallate + 0.28 ∼ 0.45 g/d caffeine) or placebo capsules. Fecal samples were collected twice (baseline, vs. week 12) for analyses of total bacterial profiles by means of IS-profiling, a 16S-23S interspacer region-based profiling method. Results No significant changes between baseline and week 12 in subjects receiving green tea or placebo capsules, and no significant interactions between treatment (green tea or placebo) and time (baseline and week 12) were observed for body composition. Analysis of the fecal samples in subjects receiving green tea and placebo showed similar bacterial diversity and community structures, indicating there were no significant changes in bacterial diversity between baseline and week 12 in subjects receiving green tea capsules or in subjects receiving placebo capsules. No significant interactions were observed between treatment (green tea or placebo) and time (baseline and week 12) for the gut microbial diversity. Although, there were no significant differences between normal weight and overweight subjects in response to green tea, we did observe a reduced bacterial alpha diversity in overweight as compared to normal weight subjects (p = 0.002). Conclusion Green tea supplementation for 12 weeks did not have a significant effect on composition of the gut microbiota. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01556321 PMID:27054321

Novel EPR characterization of the antioxidant activity of tea leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morsy, M. A.; Khaled, M. M.

2002-04-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is utilized to investigate several categories of green and black tea: Twining green tea (TGT), Chinese green tea (CGT), Red-labels black tea (RBT). Basically, two EPR signals from all the studied samples are observed: One of them is a very weak sharp EPR signal with Δ Hpp≅10 G and g-factor=2.00023 superimposed on the other broad signal with Δ Hpp≅550 G and g-factor=2.02489. The broad signal is a characteristic one of manganese(II) complex, while the sharp signal is related to a stable radical of aromatic origin exist in a powder condition. The feature of the manganese EPR signal is attributed to manganese(II) complex and reflected the molecular behavior of Mn(II) in the protein system of the natural leaves. The sharp signal, which is most probably due to a semiquinones radicals, is observed at room temperature and its intensity is remarkably affected by photo degradation of the studied samples. The intensity of manganese(II) EPR signal is found to be related to ageing and disintegration of the tea leaves. Moreover, direct relation between the relative intensity of the semiquinones radical signal and antioxidant activity of the studied samples was also correlated.

Pesticide analysis in teas and chamomile by liquid chromatography and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry using a modified QuEChERS method: validation and pilot survey in real samples.

PubMed

Lozano, Ana; Rajski, Łukasz; Belmonte-Valles, Noelia; Uclés, Ana; Uclés, Samanta; Mezcua, Milagros; Fernández-Alba, Amadeo R

2012-12-14

This paper presents the validation of a modified QuEChERS method in four matrices - green tea, red tea, black tea and chamomile. The experiments were carried out using blank samples spiked with a solution of 86 pesticides (insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) at four levels - 10, 25, 50 and 100 μg/kg. The samples were extracted according to the citrate QuEChERS protocol; however, to reduce the amount of coextracted matrix compounds, calcium chloride was employed instead of magnesium sulphate in the clean-up step. The samples were analysed by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS. Included in the scope of validation were: recovery, linearity, matrix effects, limits of detection and quantitation as well as intra-day and inter-day precision. The validated method was used in a real sample survey carried out on 75 samples purchased in ten different countries. In all matrices, recoveries of the majority of compounds were in the 70-120% range and were characterised by precision lower than 20%. In 85% of pesticide/matrix combinations the analytes can be detected quantitatively by the proposed method at the European Union Maximum Residue Level. The analysis of the real samples revealed that large number of teas and chamomiles sold in the European Union contain pesticides whose usage is not approved and also pesticides in concentrations above the EU MRLs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Sedimentation Conditions of Frozen Deposits at the Kolyma Lowland on the Distribution of Methane and Microorganisms Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oshurkova, V.; Kholodov, A. L.; Spektor, V.; Sherbakova, V.; Rivkina, E.

2014-12-01

Biogeochemical and microbiological investigations of methane distribution and origin in Northeastern Arctic permafrost sediments indicated that microbial methane production was observed in situ in thawed and permanently frozen deposits (Rivkina et al., 2007). To check the hypothesis about the correlation between permafrost ground type and quantity of methane, produced by microorganisms, the samples from deposits of thermokarst depression (alas), Yedoma and fluvial deposits of Kolyma floodplain for gas measurements and microbiological study were collected and the experiment with anaerobic incubation was conducted. Gas analysis indicated that alas and floodplain samples were characterized by high methane concentrations whereas Yedoma samples had only traces of methane. Two media with different substrates were prepared anaerobically for incubation. First medium contained sucrose as a substrate for hydrolytic microflora and the second one contained acetate as a substrate for methanogens. Two samples from alas, one sample from Yedoma and one from floodplain were placed in anaerobic bottles and media under gas mixture (N2, CO2 and H2) were added. The bottles were incubated for 2 weeks at room temperature. The results of the experiment showed that there was the increase of methane concentrations in the bottles with Yedoma and Floodplain samples to 52-60 and 67-90 %, respectively, from initial concentrations in contrast with Alas sample inoculated bottles. At the same time the concentration of methane in control bottles, which did not include substrates, increased to 15-19%. Current research is a part of NSF funded project "The Polaris".

PET bottle use patterns and antimony migration into bottled water and soft drinks: the case of British and Nigerian bottles.

PubMed

Tukur, Aminu; Sharp, Liz; Stern, Ben; Tizaoui, Chedly; Benkreira, Hadj

2012-04-01

While antimony has been reported to migrate from PET bottles into contents, reports on bottled water and soft drinks usage and PET bottle reuse patterns are currently unavailable in the literature. Bottle use conditions and patterns are important determinants of antimony migration. In this work a survey assessing the pattern of bottle use and reuse in Britain and Nigeria was undertaken. The survey findings influenced the design of laboratory experiments that assessed the migration of antimony from PET bottles into water and soft drinks. Typical storage durations for bottled contents between purchase and opening for use were 7 days or less. However storage of up to one year was reported. Bottle reuse was high and similar for the two countries with reuse durations being higher in Nigeria. The antimony concentration in 32 PET bottle materials from Britain and Nigeria were similar and ranged between 177 and 310 mg kg(-1). For 47 freshly purchased British bottled contents antimony concentration ranged between 0.03 and 6.61 μg L(-1) with only one sample exceeding the EU acceptable limit. Concentrations of Cd, Ge, Zn, Al, Be, Ti, Co and Pb were also measured. At realistic temperatures of 40 and 60 °C antimony concentration in deionised water in bottles remained below the EU acceptable limit even after 48 h exposure. The limit was exceeded for most exposures at 80 °C. Concentration of antimony in some bottled contents exceeded the EU limit after 11 months of storage at room temperature. Bottle aging and increase in bottle volume were associated with decreased migration of antimony from bottles.

Fluoride Content of Bottled Drinking Waters in Qatar.

PubMed

Almulla, Hessa Ibrahim; King, Nigel M; Alnsour, Hamza Mohammad; Sajnani, Anand K

2016-12-01

Fluoridation of drinking water has been recognized as one of the most effective ways of achieving community-wide exposure to the caries prevention effects of fluoride (F). A vast majority of people in Qatar use bottled water for drinking. Use of bottled water without knowing the F level may expose children to dental caries risk if the F level is lower than optimal or to dental fluorosis if the F level is too high. The aim of this study was to determine the F concentration of bottled water available in Qatar. A total of 32 brands of bottled water were evaluated. The F concentrations displayed on the labels were recorded. The F ion-selective electrode method was used to measure the F concentration in water samples, and three measurements were taken for every sample to ensure reproducibility. The p value was set at 0.05. The F concentration ranged from 0.06 to 3.0 ppm with a mean value of 0.8 ppm (±0.88). The F levels were provided by the manufacturers on the labels of 60 % of the samples, but this was significantly lower than the measured F levels (p < 0.0001). Moreover, bottled water that was produced in Saudi Arabia had significantly higher levels of F when compared to those produced in other countries (p < 0.05). There was a wide variation in the F levels in the different brands of bottled water. Furthermore, there was a significant disparity between the F levels which were measured and those that were provided on the labels.

Green tea catechins and their metabolites in human skin before and after exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

PubMed

Clarke, Kayleigh A; Dew, Tristan P; Watson, Rachel E B; Farrar, Mark D; Osman, Joanne E; Nicolaou, Anna; Rhodes, Lesley E; Williamson, Gary

2016-01-01

Dietary flavonoids may protect against sunburn inflammation in skin. Preliminary reports using less complete analysis suggest that certain catechins and their metabolites are found in skin biopsies and blister fluid after consumption of green tea; however, it is not known if they are affected by solar-simulated ultraviolet radiation (UVR) or whether conjugated forms, with consequently altered bioactivity, are present. The present study tested the hypothesis that UVR affects the catechin levels in the skin of healthy volunteers after consumption of green tea and how catechins in the plasma are related to their presence in skin tissue samples. In an open oral intervention study, 11 subjects consumed green tea and vitamin C supplements daily for 3months. Presupplementation and postsupplementation plasma samples, suction blister fluid and skin biopsies were collected; the latter two samples were collected both before and after UVR. A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric assay was used to measure the intact catechin metabolites, conjugates and free forms. Seven green tea catechins and their corresponding metabolites were identified postsupplementation in skin biopsies, 20 in blister fluid and 26 in plasma, with 15 green tea catechin metabolites present in both blister fluid and plasma. The valerolactone, O-methyl-M4-O-sulfate, a gut microbiota metabolite of catechins, was significantly increased 1.6-fold by UVR in blister fluid samples. In conclusion, there were some common catechin metabolites in the plasma and blister fluid, and the concentration was always higher in plasma. The results suggest that green tea catechins and metabolites are bioavailable in skin and provide a novel link between catechin metabolites derived from the skin and gut microbiota. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Green tea catechins and their metabolites in human skin before and after exposure to ultraviolet radiation☆☆☆★

PubMed Central

Clarke, Kayleigh A.; Dew, Tristan P.; Watson, Rachel E.B.; Farrar, Mark D.; Osman, Joanne E.; Nicolaou, Anna; Rhodes, Lesley E.; Williamson, Gary

2016-01-01

Dietary flavonoids may protect against sunburn inflammation in skin. Preliminary reports using less complete analysis suggest that certain catechins and their metabolites are found in skin biopsies and blister fluid after consumption of green tea; however, it is not known if they are affected by solar-simulated ultraviolet radiation (UVR) or whether conjugated forms, with consequently altered bioactivity, are present. The present study tested the hypothesis that UVR affects the catechin levels in the skin of healthy volunteers after consumption of green tea and how catechins in the plasma are related to their presence in skin tissue samples. In an open oral intervention study, 11 subjects consumed green tea and vitamin C supplements daily for 3 months. Presupplementation and postsupplementation plasma samples, suction blister fluid and skin biopsies were collected; the latter two samples were collected both before and after UVR. A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric assay was used to measure the intact catechin metabolites, conjugates and free forms. Seven green tea catechins and their corresponding metabolites were identified postsupplementation in skin biopsies, 20 in blister fluid and 26 in plasma, with 15 green tea catechin metabolites present in both blister fluid and plasma. The valerolactone, O-methyl-M4-O-sulfate, a gut microbiota metabolite of catechins, was significantly increased 1.6-fold by UVR in blister fluid samples. In conclusion, there were some common catechin metabolites in the plasma and blister fluid, and the concentration was always higher in plasma. The results suggest that green tea catechins and metabolites are bioavailable in skin and provide a novel link between catechin metabolites derived from the skin and gut microbiota. PMID:26454512

High fluoride and low pH level have been detected in popular flavoured beverages in Malaysia

PubMed Central

HA Rahim, Zubaidah; M Bakri, Marina; HM, Zakir; IA, Ahmed; NA, Zulkifli

2014-01-01

Objective: In children, excessive ingestion of fluoride from different sources including bottled drinking water and flavoured beverages or soft drinks can lead to the development of dental fluorosis. In addition, the pH level of beverages is important. Low pH can cause dental erosion. In this study we explore the fluoride content and pH level of certain popular beverages available in Malaysian supermarkets and hawkers’ stalls. Methods: Bottled drinking water and selected popular flavoured packet drinks were purchased from a supermarket and the corresponding flavoured hawkers’ drinks, from a hawker’s stall in Kuala Lumpur. Fluoride and pH of the beverages were determined using digital fluoride meter and digital pH meter respectively. Results: It was found that fluoride content and pH level vary among the beverages. The mean fluoride content in both packet and hawkers’ drinks (7.64±1.88 mg/L, 7.51±1.60 mg/L, respectively) was approximately 7 times higher than the bottled drinking water (1.05±0.35 mg/L). Among the beverages, the tea packet drink was found to contain the highest amount of fluoride (13.02±0.23 mg/L). The mean pH of bottled-drinking water was near neutral (6.96±0.17), but acidic for both supermarket (4.78.00±0.49) and hawkers’ drinks (5.73±0.24). The lychee packet drink had the lowest pH level (2.97±0.03). Conclusions: Due to the wide variation of the fluoride content and pH level of the drinks tested in this study, it is recommended that steps should be taken to control the fluoride concentration and pH level in beverages if dental fluorosis and erosion are to be prevented. PMID:24772152

[Study on the analytical methods of catechins in tea and green tea polyphenol samples by high performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Dai, J; Wang, H X; Chen, S W; Tang, J

2001-09-01

Hypersil BDS C18 and Zorbax SB C18, suitable to separate simultaneously seven kinds of catechins and caffeine, were screened out from seven brands of reversed-phase columns. Mobile phase was a solution of methanol-water-acetic acid (or trifluoro acetic acid). Seven kinds of catechins in tea samples from six places in China and three green tea polyphenol(GTP) samples from different producers were separated and determined in 30 min by isocratic and gradient elutions. The effects of mobile phase components and temperature of column on retention parameters of catechins and caffeine are reviewed. Chromatographic conditions and pretreatment methods of samples were optimized. Gallocatechin gallate(GCG) and (-)-catechin gallate(CG) were identified by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS) and prepared by high performance liquid chromatography for quantitative analysis. The other catechins, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (+)-catechin (D-C), (-)-epicatechin(EC), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG), (-)-epicatechin gallate(ECG) were identified with standards.

Fungal Contamination of Food in Hematology Units

PubMed Central

Bouakline, Adel; Lacroix, Claire; Roux, Nicole; Gangneux, Jean Pierre; Derouin, Francis

2000-01-01

The prevalence of thermotolerant fungi on non-heat-sterilizable food was determined. Aspergillus spp. were noted in 100% of pepper and regular tea samples, 12 to 66% of fruits, 27% of herbal teas, and 20% of freeze-dried soup samples. All soft cheese samples were contaminated by Geotrichum and yeast (Candida norvegensis) but Candida albicans was never identified. PMID:11060109

Long-Term Impacts Induced by Disposal of Contaminated River Sediments in Elliott Bay, Seattle, Washington

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

and these accompanied the sample residue through sieving to avoid sample mix- up . B. Field data sheets required logger’s initials on each page to A...ensure data completeness. C. Metal trays were placed to catch residue spillage during residue transfer from sieves to sample bottles. D. Sample bottles...methodologies were comparable for all sample e types and consisted of four sequential components: extraction, clean- up , gas chromatographic (GC) analysis, and

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; in-bottle acid digestion of whole-water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, G.L.; Fishman, M. J.; Garbarino, J.R.

1996-01-01

Water samples for trace-metal determinations routinely have been prepared in open laboratories. For example, the U.S. Geological Survey method I-3485-85 (Extraction Procedure, for Water- Suspended Sediment) is performed in a laboratory hood on a laboratory bench without any special precautions to control airborne contamination. This method tends to be contamination prone for several trace metals primarily because the samples are transferred, acidified, digested, and filtered in an open laboratory environment. To reduce trace-metal contamination of digested water samples, procedures were established that rely on minimizing sample-transfer steps and using a class-100 clean bench during sample filtration. This new procedure involves the following steps: 1. The sample is acidified with HCl directly in the original water-sample bottle. 2. The water-sample bottle with the cap secured is heated in a laboratory oven. 3. The digestate is filtered in a class-100 laminar-flow clean bench. The exact conditions used (that is, oven temperature, time of heating, and filtration methods) for this digestion procedure are described. Comparisons between the previous U.S Geological Survey open-beaker method I-3485-85 and the new in-bottle procedure for synthetic and field-collected water samples are given. When the new procedure is used, blank concentrations for most trace metals determined are reduced significantly.

Evaluation of Macro- and Microelement Levels in Black Tea in View of Its Geographical Origin.

PubMed

Brzezicha-Cirocka, Justyna; Grembecka, Małgorzata; Ciesielski, Tomasz; Flaten, Trond Peder; Szefer, Piotr

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the elemental composition of black tea samples and their infusions in view of their geographical origin. In total, 14 elements were analyzed, 13 (Ca, K, Mg, Na, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Co, Cd, and Pb) by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and P by UV-Vis spectrometry, after mineralization of samples. It was found that K was the most abundant macroelement in the analyzed samples, whereas among microelements, the highest concentration was found for Mn. Based on the obtained data, the percentage of elements leached into the infusions as well as the daily elemental intake from tea were calculated. The daily intake from tea was compared to the recommended daily allowances (RDAs), and the highest percentages of the RDAs were found for Mn (15 %) and Co (10 %). To study the relations between elemental composition and country of origin of samples, factor analysis and cluster analysis were applied. These multivariate techniques proved to be efficient tools able to differentiate samples according to their provenance as well as plantation within the common regions.

A Non-targeted Approach to Chemical Discrimination Between Green Tea Dietary Supplements and Green Tea Leaves by HPLC/MS

PubMed Central

Sun, Jianghao; Chen, Pei; Lin, Long-Ze; Harnly, James M.

2013-01-01

Green tea-based dietary supplements (GTDSs) have gained popularity in the U.S. market in recent years. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition difference of GTDS in comparison with green tea leaves using an HPLC/MS fingerprinting technique coupled with chemometric analysis. Five components that are most responsible for class separation among samples were identified as (−) epicatechin gallate, strictinin, trigalloylglucose, quercetin-3-O-glucosylrhamnosylglucoside, and kaempferol-3-O-galactosyl-rhamnosylglucoside, according to the accurate mass measurements and MS/MS data. The similarity coefficients between the GTDSs in solid form with green tea were 0.55 to 0.91, while for the GTDSs in liquid form they were 0.12 to 0.89, which suggested that chemical composition variance across the GTDSs was significant. Flavonol aglycone concentrations were higher in GTDSs than in tea leaves, indicating the degradation of flavonol glycosides or the oxidation of catechin during the manufacturing and storage processes. In some GTDS samples, compounds were identified that were on the label. The results demonstrate the urgency of QC for GTDS products. PMID:21563682

Evaluation of transfer rates of multiple pesticides from green tea into infusion using water as pressurized liquid extraction solvent and ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Chen, Hongping; Pan, Meiling; Liu, Xin; Lu, Chengyin

2017-02-01

Pesticide residues could be transferred from tea into its infusion and by-products, and subsequently consumed by humans. Extra extraction conditions may induce more pesticide leaching into the infusion and by-products of tea and cause greater damage to humans. The aim of this study is to evaluate the infusion of multiple pesticides from green tea into hot water via pressurized liquid extraction. The results showed that pesticides in spiked samples generally have higher leaching (0.8-45.0%) than those in the positive samples. There was a marked rise of transfer rates when water solubility increased from 20mgL(-1) to 450mgL(-1) and LogKow decreased from 6 to 4. All pesticides had more leaching into hot water using pressurized liquid extraction than traditional tea brewing. This study helps in risk assessment of pesticide residues and in the formulation of maximum residue levels (MRLs) in tea and its by-products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of tea polyphenols in combination with 6-gingerol on shrimp paste of during storage: biogenic amines formation and quality determination.

PubMed

Cai, Luyun; Liu, Shucheng; Sun, Lijun; Wang, Yaling; Ji, Hongwu; Li, Jianrong

2015-01-01

Tea polyphenols (TP) have shown antioxidant activity and antimicrobial properties in the food industry. Assessment of anti-oxidation potential of 6-gingerol (GR) has also been verified. As little is known about the use of tea polyphenols either individually or in combination with 6-gingerol in shrimp paste, we aimed to investigate the effect of tea polyphenols combined with 6-gingerol on the biogenic amines inhibition and quality of shrimp paste stored at 25°C for 160 days. The shrimp paste samples were assigned into four groups: (1) control; (2) tea polyphenols treatment (0.3%); (3) 6-gingerol treatment (0.3%); (4) tea polyphenols (0.15%) + 6-gingerol (0.15%). Samples with no addition were used as control. The results indicate that treatment with tea polyphenols + 6-gingerol (TPGR) maintained paste appearance, inhibited oxidation of protein and lipids, and reduced microorganism counts compared to control treatment. The efficiency was superior to that of tea polyphenols or 6-gingerol treatment. Furthermore, shrimp paste treated with TPGR also exhibited significantly higher inhibition of biogenic amines. Total amino acids determination proved the efficacy of TPGR by maintaining the more amino acids of shrimp paste during ambient temperature storage. Our study suggests that TPGR might be a promising candidate for fermented foods due to its synergistic effect to maintain products quality and extending their shelf-life.

Multimycotoxin LC-MS/MS Analysis in Tea Beverages after Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME).

PubMed

Pallarés, Noelia; Font, Guillermina; Mañes, Jordi; Ferrer, Emilia

2017-11-29

The aim of the present study was to develop a multimycotoxin liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method with a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure (DLLME) for the analysis of AFs, 3aDON, 15aDON, NIV, HT-2, T-2, ZEA, OTA, ENNs, and BEA in tea beverages and to evaluate their mycotoxin contents. The proposed method was characterized in terms of linearity, limits of detection (LODs), limits of quantification (LOQs), recoveries, repeatability (intraday precision), reproducibility (interday precision), and matrix effects to check suitability. The results show LODs in the range of 0.05-10 μg/L, LOQs in the range of 0.2-33 μg/L, and recoveries in the range of 65-127% (RSD < 20%). The method developed in this study was applied to 44 commercial samples of black tea, red tea, green tea, and green mint tea. The results show that, of the analyzed mycotoxins, AFB2, AFG2, 15aDON, AFG1, and ENB were detected in the samples. AFB2 (14.4-32.2 μg/L) and 15aDON (60.5-61 μg/L) presented the highest levels. Green mint tea contained the highest concentration of mycotoxins. The risk assessment study shows that the population is not much exposed to mycotoxins through the consumption of tea beverages.

Application of tea polyphenols in combination with 6-gingerol on shrimp paste of during storage: biogenic amines formation and quality determination

PubMed Central

Cai, Luyun; Liu, Shucheng; Sun, Lijun; Wang, Yaling; Ji, Hongwu; Li, Jianrong

2015-01-01

Tea polyphenols (TP) have shown antioxidant activity and antimicrobial properties in the food industry. Assessment of anti-oxidation potential of 6-gingerol (GR) has also been verified. As little is known about the use of tea polyphenols either individually or in combination with 6-gingerol in shrimp paste, we aimed to investigate the effect of tea polyphenols combined with 6-gingerol on the biogenic amines inhibition and quality of shrimp paste stored at 25°C for 160 days. The shrimp paste samples were assigned into four groups: (1) control; (2) tea polyphenols treatment (0.3%); (3) 6-gingerol treatment (0.3%); (4) tea polyphenols (0.15%) + 6-gingerol (0.15%). Samples with no addition were used as control. The results indicate that treatment with tea polyphenols + 6-gingerol (TPGR) maintained paste appearance, inhibited oxidation of protein and lipids, and reduced microorganism counts compared to control treatment. The efficiency was superior to that of tea polyphenols or 6-gingerol treatment. Furthermore, shrimp paste treated with TPGR also exhibited significantly higher inhibition of biogenic amines. Total amino acids determination proved the efficacy of TPGR by maintaining the more amino acids of shrimp paste during ambient temperature storage. Our study suggests that TPGR might be a promising candidate for fermented foods due to its synergistic effect to maintain products quality and extending their shelf-life. PMID:26441911

Fluoride content of still bottled water in Australia.

PubMed

Cochrane, N J; Saranathan, S; Morgan, M V; Dashper, S G

2006-09-01

Recently there has been a considerable increase in the consumption of bottled water in Australia. Overseas studies have found the fluoride levels in many bottled waters are well below levels considered optimal for preventing dental caries. This raises the concern that if bottled water is regularly consumed an effective means of preventing dental caries is unavailable. The aim of this study was to determine the fluoride concentration in 10 popular brands of still bottled water currently sold in Australia. The fluoride content of water samples were determined using an ion analyser and compared to a fluoride standard. The fluoride concentration of all bottled waters was less than 0.08 ppm. Only three of the 10 brands indicated the fluoride content on their labels. Melbourne reticulated water was found to be fluoridated at 1.02 ppm. All bottled waters tested contained negligible fluoride which justifies the concern that regular consumption of bottled water may reduce the benefits gained from water fluoridation. It is recommended that all bottled water companies should consider stating their fluoride content on their labels. This will inform consumers and dental care providers of the levels of fluoride in bottled water and allow an informed decision regarding consumption of fluoridated versus non-fluoridated drinking water.

Fluoride Content of Bottled Waters in Hong Kong and Qatar.

PubMed

Al-Mulla, Hessa I; Anthonappa, Robert P; King, Nigel M

2016-01-01

To determine the F concentration of bottled waters that was available in Hong Kong and Qatar. The F concentrations of bottled waters collected from Hong Kong (n=81) and Qatar (n=32) were analysed. The F ion selective electrode method was used to measure the F concentration in the samples. Three measurements were obtained for every sample to ensure reproducibility and appropriate statistical analyses were employed. Qatar group: F concentrations ranged from 0.06 ppm to 3.0 ppm with a mean value of 0.8 ppm. The F concentrations displayed on the labels of the samples (60%) were significantly lower than the measured F concentration (p < 0.0001). Hong Kong group: F concentrations ranged from 0.04 ppm to 2.52 ppm with a mean value of 0.44 ppm. The F concentrations displayed on the samples (16%) were significantly lower than the measured F concentration (p< 0.0001). Wide variations exist in the F concentration among the different brands of bottled water available in Hong Kong and Qatar. The F concentrations displayed on the labels were not consistent with the measured F concentrations.

Trace element content in tea brewed in traditional metallic and stainless steel teapots.

PubMed

Petit, D; El Houari, W; Jacobs, K; Baeyens, W; Leermakers, M

2013-11-01

The migration of metals in tea brewed in metallic teapots was investigated. The teapots were obtained from North Africa stores in Brussels in 2005-2006 and in 2011. Chinese gunpowder green tea, the most commonly used tea in the Moroccan community, was used to prepare the tea. Tea brewed in metallic teapots was compared to tea brewed in a glass vessel in order to evaluate the contribution of the tea and the teapots to the metal concentrations in the brewed tea. Tea samples were also collected in Moroccan households and in tearooms in Brussels. The elements As, Cd, Pb, Sn, Mn, Fe, Cr, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Al were analyzed by high-resolution sector field inductively coupled mass spectrometry. The relationship between the metal composition of the alloy of the teapot and the metal concentration in tea was also investigated. Migration of Pb and to a lesser amount Ni, Cu, and Zn was observed in brass teapots and migration of Cd from a number of stainless steel teapots was observed. The soldering connecting the sprout to the teapot was shown to be an important source of Pb to the tea. High levels of Mn and Al were also observed in the brewed tea and these elements where shown to originate from the tea itself. Metal exposure from tea drinking was calculated for different tea consumption levels and different metal concentration levels and compared to toxicological reference values.

Topical application of green and white tea extracts provides protection from solar-simulated ultraviolet light in human skin.

PubMed

Camouse, Melissa M; Domingo, Diana Santo; Swain, Freddie R; Conrad, Edward P; Matsui, Mary S; Maes, Daniel; Declercq, Lieve; Cooper, Kevin D; Stevens, Seth R; Baron, Elma D

2009-06-01

Tea polyphenols have been found to exert beneficial effects on the skin via their antioxidant properties. We sought to determine whether topical application of green tea or white tea extracts would prevent simulated solar radiation-induced oxidative damages to DNA and Langerhans cells that may lead to immune suppression and carcinogenesis. Skin samples were analysed from volunteers or skin explants treated with white tea or green tea after UV irradiation. In another group of patients, the in vivo immune protective effects of green and white tea were evaluated using contact hypersensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene. Topical application of green and white tea offered protection against detrimental effects of UV on cutaneous immunity. Such protection is not because of direct UV absorption or sunscreen effects as both products showed a sun protection factor of 1. There was no significant difference in the levels of protection afforded by the two agents. Hence, both green tea and white tea are potential photoprotective agents that may be used in conjunction with established methods of sun protection.

Dissipation Pattern, Processing Factors, and Safety Evaluation for Dimethoate and Its Metabolite (Omethoate) in Tea (Camellia Sinensis)

PubMed Central

Pan, Rong; Chen, Hong-Ping; Zhang, Ming-Lu; Wang, Qing-Hua; Jiang, Ying; Liu, Xin

2015-01-01

Residue levels of dimethoate and its oxon metabolite (omethoate) during tea planting, manufacturing, and brewing were investigated using a modified QuEChERS sample preparation and gas chromatography. Dissipation of dimethoate and its metabolite in tea plantation followed the first-order kinetic with a half-life of 1.08–1.27 d. Tea manufacturing has positive effects on dimethoate dissipation. Processing factors of dimethoate are in the range of 2.11–2.41 and 1.41–1.70 during green tea and black tea manufacturing, respectively. Omethoate underwent generation as well as dissipation during tea manufacturing. Sum of dimethoate and omethoate led to a large portion of 80.5–84.9% transferring into tea infusion. Results of safety evaluation indicated that omethoate could bring higher human health risk than dimethoate due to its higher hazard quotient by drinking tea. These results would provide information for the establishment of maximum residue limit and instruction for the application of dimethoate formulation on tea crop. PMID:26406463

Tracking residual organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in green, herbal, and black tea leaves and infusions of commercially available tea products marketed in Poland.

PubMed

Witczak, Agata; Abdel-Gawad, Hassan; Zalesak, Michal; Pohoryło, Anna

2018-03-01

The content of residual organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was examined in green, herbal, and black tea leaves as well as in their infusions prepared from tea products marketed in the main supermarkets in Poland. It was found that the detected mean levels of organochlorine residues in tea leaves ranged from

Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine and Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine in tea and the factors affecting their formation.

PubMed

Jiao, Ye; He, Jialiang; Li, Fengli; Tao, Guanjun; Zhang, Shuang; Zhang, Shikang; Qin, Fang; Zeng, Maomao; Chen, Jie

2017-10-01

The levels of N ε -(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and N ε -(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL) in 99 tea samples from 14 geographic regions, including 44 green, 7 oolong, 41 black, and 7 dark teas were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The CML and CEL contents varied from 11.0 to 1701μg/g tea and 4.6 to 133μg/g tea, respectively. Dark tea presented the highest levels of CML and CEL, whereas green and oolong teas presented the lowest levels. Five kinds of catechins in the tea were also analyzed, and spearman's correlation coefficients showed that all the catechins negatively correlated with CML and CEL. The results suggested that withering, fermentation and pile fermentation may facilitate the formation of CML and CEL. Catechins might inhibit the formation of CML and CEL, but their inhibitory effects may be affected by tea processing. The results of this study are useful for the production of healthier tea. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

An Improved Weighted Partial Least Squares Method Coupled with Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Rapid Determination of Multiple Components and Anti-Oxidant Activity of Pu-Erh Tea.

PubMed

Liu, Ze; Xie, Hua-Lin; Chen, Lin; Huang, Jian-Hua

2018-05-02

Background: Pu-erh tea is a unique microbially fermented tea, which distinctive chemical constituents and activities are worthy of systematic study. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) coupled with suitable chemometrics approaches can rapidly and accurately quantitatively analyze multiple compounds in samples. Methods: In this study, an improved weighted partial least squares (PLS) algorithm combined with near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) was used to construct a fast calibration model for determining four main components, i.e., tea polyphenols, tea polysaccharide, total flavonoids, theanine content, and further determine the total antioxidant capacity of pu-erh tea. Results: The final correlation coefficients R square for tea polyphenols, tea polysaccharide, total flavonoids content, theanine content, and total antioxidant capacity were 0.8288, 0.8403, 0.8415, 0.8537 and 0.8682, respectively. Conclusions : The current study provided a comprehensive study of four main ingredients and activity of pu-erh tea, and demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy technology coupled with multivariate calibration analysis could be successfully applied to pu-erh tea quality assessment.

Assessment of sample preservation techniques for pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and steroids in surface and drinking water.

PubMed

Vanderford, Brett J; Mawhinney, Douglas B; Trenholm, Rebecca A; Zeigler-Holady, Janie C; Snyder, Shane A

2011-02-01

Proper collection and preservation techniques are necessary to ensure sample integrity and maintain the stability of analytes until analysis. Data from improperly collected and preserved samples could lead to faulty conclusions and misinterpretation of the occurrence and fate of the compounds being studied. Because contaminants of emerging concern, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and steroids, generally occur in surface and drinking water at ng/L levels, these compounds in particular require such protocols to accurately assess their concentrations. In this study, sample bottle types, residual oxidant quenching agents, preservation agents, and hold times were assessed for 21 PPCPs and steroids in surface water and finished drinking water. Amber glass bottles were found to have the least effect on target analyte concentrations, while high-density polyethylene bottles had the most impact. Ascorbic acid, sodium thiosulfate, and sodium sulfite were determined to be acceptable quenching agents and preservation with sodium azide at 4 °C led to the stability of the most target compounds. A combination of amber glass bottles, ascorbic acid, and sodium azide preserved analyte concentrations for 28 days in the tested matrices when held at 4 °C. Samples without a preservation agent were determined to be stable for all but two of the analytes when stored in amber glass bottles at 4 °C for 72 h. Results suggest that if improper protocols are utilized, reported concentrations of target PPCPs and steroids may be inaccurate.

Performance of the Fecal Immunochemical Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening Using Different Stool-Collection Devices: Preliminary Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Shin, Hye Young; Suh, Mina; Baik, Hyung Won; Choi, Kui Son; Park, Boyoung; Jun, Jae Kwan; Hwang, Sang-Hyun; Kim, Byung Chang; Lee, Chan Wha; Oh, Jae Hwan; Lee, You Kyoung; Han, Dong Soo; Lee, Do-Hoon

2016-11-15

We are in the process of conducting a randomized trial to determine whether compliance with the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer screening differs according to the stool-collection method. This study was an interim analysis of the performance of two stool-collection devices (sampling bottle vs conventional container). In total, 1,701 individuals (age range, 50 to 74 years) were randomized into the sampling bottle group (intervention arm) or the conventional container group (control arm). In both groups, we evaluated the FIT positivity rate, the positive predictive value for advanced neoplasia, and the detection rate for advanced neoplasia. The FIT positivity rates were 4.1% for the sampling bottles and 2.0% for the conventional containers; these values were significantly different. The positive predictive values for advanced neoplasia in the sampling bottles and conventional containers were 11.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.4 to 25.6) and 12.0% (95% CI, -0.7 to 24.7), respectively. The detection rates for advanced neoplasia in the sampling bottles and conventional containers were 4.5 per 1,000 persons (95% CI, 2.0 to 11.0) and 2.4 per 1,000 persons (95% CI, 0.0 to 5.0), respectively. The impact of these findings on FIT screening performance was unclear in this interim analysis. This impact should therefore be evaluated in the final analysis following the final enrollment period.

Presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottled drinking water in Mexico City.

PubMed

Salinas, Rutilio Ortiz; Bermudez, Beatriz Schettino; Tolentino, Rey Gutiérrez; Gonzalez, Gilberto Díaz; Vega y León, Salvador

2010-10-01

This paper describes the concentrations of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottled drinking water samples that were collected over 1 year from Mexico City in two sizes (1.5 and 19 L), using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. PCBs 28 (0.018-0.042 μg/L), 52 (0.006-0.015 μg/L) and 101 (0.001-0.039 μg/L) were the most commonly found and were present in the majority of the samples. However, total concentrations of PCBs in bottled drinking water (0.035-0.039 μg/L) were below the maximum permissible level of 0.50 μg/L stated in Mexican regulations and probably do not represent a hazard to human health. PCBs were detectable in all samples and we recommend a monitoring program be established to better understand the quality of drinking bottled water over time; this may help in producing solutions for reducing the presence of organic contaminants.

Bacteriological quality and risk assessment of the imported and domestic bottled mineral water sold in Fiji.

PubMed

Zeenat, A; Hatha, A A M; Viola, L; Vipra, K

2009-12-01

Considering the popularity of bottled mineral water among indigenous Fijians and tourists alike, a study was carried out to determine the bacteriological quality of different bottled waters. A risk assessment was also carried out. Seventy-five samples of bottled mineral water belonging to three domestic brands and 25 samples of one imported brand were analysed for heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria and faecal coliforms. HPC counts were determined at 22 degrees C and 37 degrees C using R2A medium and a membrane filtration technique was used to determine the faecal coliform (FC) load in 100 ml of water on mFC agar. Between 28 and 68% of the samples of the various domestic brands failed to meet the WHO standard of 100 colony forming units (cfu) per 100 ml at 22 degrees C and 7% of these also tested positive for faecal coliforms. All imported bottled mineral water samples were within WHO standards. A risk assessment of the HPC bacteria was carried out in terms of beta haemolytic activity and antibiotic resistance. More than 50% of the isolates showed beta haemolytic activity and were multi-drug resistant. While the overall quality of the product was generally good, there is a need to enforce stringent quality standards for the domestic bottlers to ensure the safety of consumers.

Research on the effect of culture time on the kombucha tea beverage's antiradical capacity and sensory value.

PubMed

Gramza-Michałowska, Anna; Kulczyński, Bartosz; Xindi, Yuan; Gumienna, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Recent consumption trends shows high consumer acceptability and growing medicinal interest in the biological value of kombucha tea. This tea is a sweetened tea leaf brew fermented with a layer containing mainly acetic acid bacteria, yeast and lactic acid bacteria. The main antioxidants in tea leaves are polyphenols, the consumption of which is proven to be beneficial for human health, e.g. protecting from reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of the present research was to evaluate antiradical activity, total polyphenol content (TPC) and sensory value of kombucha tea brews. In the present study, Kombucha tea beverages were analyzed for TPC content, DPPH radical scavenging method and sensory value. The highest TPC content and DPPH radical scavenging capacity values were evaluated in yellow tea samples, both unfermented and kombucha, which did not differ within the storage time. The results of sensory evaluations of kombucha tea brews depend on the tea leaf variety used for preparing the drink. Research indicates that the fermentation process of tea brews with kombucha microbiota does not affect significantly its polyphenol content and antiradical capacity, and retains its components' biological activity.

Sensory and Instrumental Flavor Changes in Green Tea Brewed Multiple Times

PubMed Central

Lee, Jeehyun; Chambers, Delores; Chambers, Edgar

2013-01-01

Green teas in leaf form are brewed multiple times, a common selling point. However, the flavor changes, both sensory and volatile compounds, of green teas that have been brewed multiple times are unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine how the aroma and flavor of green teas change as they are brewed multiple times, to determine if a relationship exists between green tea flavors and green tea volatile compounds, and to suggest the number of times that green tea leaves can be brewed. The first and second brews of the green tea samples provided similar flavor intensities. The third and fourth brews provided milder flavors and lower bitterness and astringency when measured using descriptive sensory analysis. In the brewed liquor of green tea mostly linalool, nonanal, geraniol, jasmone, and β-ionone volatile compounds were present at low levels (using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). The geraniol, linalool, and linalool oxide compounds in green tea may contribute to the floral/perfumy flavor. Green teas in leaf form may be brewed up to four times: the first two brews providing stronger flavor, bitterness, and astringency whereas the third and fourth brews will provide milder flavor, bitterness, and astringency. PMID:28239138

Comparison of BacT/Alert FAN and FAN Plus Bottles with Conventional Medium for Culturing Cerebrospinal Fluid.

PubMed

Yoo, In Young; Chun, Sejong; Song, Dong Joon; Huh, Hee Jae; Lee, Nam Yong

2016-11-01

We compared the BacT/Alert system FAN and FAN Plus media to conventional media for culturing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with 2,545 samples. FAN/FAN Plus bottles showed better performance for isolating microorganisms in CSF than conventional media (positive rate, 7.2% [182/2,545] versus 3.1% [80/2,545]). The incremental recovery rate of Cryptococcus neoformans from FAN Plus bottles was higher than that from FAN bottles. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Fluorine in food with special reference to tea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zimmerman, P.W.; Hitchcock, A.E.; Gwirtsman, J.

A review of the literature showed that in 1932 commercial tea, Camellia sinensis Kuntze (Thea sinensis L., Camellia thea Link.), was known to contain fluorine (F). Since ornamental camellias (C. japonica L.) and tea are members of the Theaceae family, comparisons were made of the F in leaves of the two species. The dry leaves of various domestic brands of tea, composed mostly of young leaves, contained 72 to 115 parts per million (p.p.m.) F and Chinese tea 131 to 178 p.p.m. F on a dry weight basis. One sample of fresh leaves of greenhouse grown tea plants contained 1530more » p.p.m. F on a dry weight basis and the older leaves of ornamental camellias up to 3062 p.p.m. F. One sample of young leaves of C. japonica contained 67 p.p.m. F. Thus both species of Camellia have the capacity to accumulate relatively large amounts of F, especially in the older leaves. The infusion (beverage) from one tea bag in 4.5 fluid oz. of water contained 0.8 to 1.7 p.p.m. F after 3 minutes steeping and 1.0 to 2.0 p.p.m. F after 3 minutes boiling.« less

Chemometrics-enhanced high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection strategy for simultaneous determination of eight co-eluted compounds in ten kinds of Chinese teas using second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition algorithm.

PubMed

Yin, Xiao-Li; Wu, Hai-Long; Gu, Hui-Wen; Zhang, Xiao-Hua; Sun, Yan-Mei; Hu, Yong; Liu, Lu; Rong, Qi-Ming; Yu, Ru-Qin

2014-10-17

In this work, an attractive chemometrics-enhanced high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) strategy was proposed for simultaneous and fast determination of eight co-eluted compounds including gallic acid, caffeine and six catechins in ten kinds of Chinese teas by using second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm. This new strategy proved to be a useful tool for handling the co-eluted peaks, uncalibrated interferences and baseline drifts existing in the process of chromatographic separation, which benefited from the "second-order advantages", making the determination of gallic acid, caffeine and six catechins in tea infusions within 8 min under a simple mobile phase condition. The average recoveries of the analytes on two selected tea samples ranged from 91.7 to 103.1% with standard deviations (SD) ranged from 1.9 to 11.9%. Figures of merit including sensitivity (SEN), selectivity (SEL), root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) and limit of detection (LOD) have been calculated to validate the accuracy of the proposed method. To further confirm the reliability of the method, a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method based on LC-MS/MS was employed for comparison and the obtained results of both methods were consistent with each other. Furthermore, as a universal strategy, this new proposed analytical method was applied for the determination of gallic acid, caffeine and catechins in several other kinds of Chinese teas, including different levels and varieties. Finally, based on the quantitative results, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to conduct a cluster analysis for these Chinese teas. The green tea, Oolong tea and Pu-erh raw tea samples were classified successfully. All results demonstrated that the proposed method is accurate, sensitive, fast, universal and ideal for the rapid, routine analysis and discrimination of gallic acid, caffeine and catechins in Chinese tea samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is drinking water a major route of human exposure to alkylphenol and bisphenol contaminants in France?

PubMed

Colin, Adeline; Bach, Cristina; Rosin, Christophe; Munoz, Jean-François; Dauchy, Xavier

2014-01-01

The main objective of this study was to evaluate potential exposure of a significant part of the French population to alkylphenol and bisphenol contaminants due to water consumption. The occurrence of 11 alkylphenols and bisphenols was studied in raw water and treated water samples from public water systems. One sampling campaign was performed from October 2011 to May 2012. Sampling was equally distributed across 100 French departments. In total, 291 raw water samples and 291 treated water samples were analyzed in this study, representing approximately 20 % of the national water supply flow. The occurrence of the target compounds was also determined for 29 brands of bottled water (polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles, polycarbonate [PC] reusable containers, and aluminum cans [ACs]) and in 5 drinking water networks where epoxy resin has been used as coating for pipes. In raw water samples, the highest individual concentration was 1,430 ng/L for bisphenol A (BPA). Of the investigated compounds, nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol 1-carboxylic acid (NP1EC), BPA, and nonylphenol 2-ethoxylate (NP2EO) predominated (detected in 18.6, 18.6, 14.4, and 10 % of samples, respectively). Geographical variability was observed with departments crossed by major rivers or with high population densities being more affected by contamination. In treated water samples, the highest individual concentration was 505 ng/L for NP. Compared with raw water, target compounds were found in lower amounts in treated water. This difference suggests a relative effectiveness of certain water treatments for the elimination of these pollutants; however, there is also their possible transformation by reaction with chlorine. No target compounds were found in drinking water pipes coated with epoxy resin, in PET bottled water, or in water from ACs. However, levels of BPA in PC bottled water ranged from 70 to 4,210 ng/L with greater level observed in newly manufactured bottles. 4-Tert-butylphenol was only detected in recently manufactured bottles. The values observed for the monitored compounds indicate that drinking water is most likely not the main source of exposure.

Development and field application of a 6-bottle serial gas-tight fluid sampler for collecting seafloor cold seep and hydrothermal vent fluids with autonomous operation capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, S.; Ding, K.; Yang, C.; Seyfried, W. E., Jr.; Tan, C.; Schaen, A. T.; Luhmann, A. J.

2014-12-01

A 6-bottle serial gas-tight sampler (so-called "six-shooter") was developed for application with deep-sea vent fluids. The new device is composed of a custom-made 6-channel valve manifold and six sampling bottles which are circularly distributed around the valve manifold. Each valve channel consists of a high-pressure titanium cartridge valve and a motor-driven actuator. A sampling snorkel is connected to the inlet of the manifold that delivers the incoming fluid to different bottles. Each sampling bottle has a 160 ml-volume chamber and an accumulator chamber inside where compressed nitrogen is used to maintain the sample at near in-situ pressure. An electronics chamber that is located at the center of the sampler is used to carry out all sampling operations, autonomously, if desired. The sampler is of a compact circular configuration with a diameter of 26 cm and a length of 54 cm. During the SVC cruise AT 26-12, the sampler was deployed by DSV2 Alvin at a cold seep site MC036 with a depth of 1090 m in the Gulf of Mexico. The sampler collected fluid samples automatically following the tidal cycle to monitor the potential impact of the tide cycle on the fluid chemistry of cold seep in a period of two day. During the cruise AT 26-17, the sampler was used with newly upgraded DSV2 Alvin three times at the hydrothermal vent sites along Axial Seamount and Main Endeavor Field on Juan de Fuca Ridge. During a 4-day deployment at Anemone diffuse site (Axial Caldera), the sampler was set to work in an autonomous mode to collect fluid samples according to the preset interval. During other dives, the sampler was manually controlled via ICL (Inductively Coupled Link) communication through the hull. Gas-tight fluid samples were collected from different hydrothermal vents with temperatures between 267 ℃ and 335 ℃ at the depth up to 2200 m. The field results indicate unique advantages of the design. It can be deployed in extended time period with remote operation or working autonomously taking gas-tight fluid samples. If used with HOV or ROV, it will reduce basket space occupation and ICL communication cables compared to traditional single-bottle gas-tight samplers. This time serial gas-tight fluid sampler will be further developed into a 36 bottle system for remote operation with seafloor cabled observatory.

Chemical, microbial and physical evaluation of commercial bottled waters in greater Houston area of Texas.

PubMed

Saleh, Mahmoud A; Abdel-Rahman, Fawzia H; Woodard, Brooke B; Clark, Shavon; Wallace, Cecil; Aboaba, Adetoun; Zhang, Wenluo; Nance, James H

2008-03-01

Due to the increased demand and consumption of bottled water in the United States, there has been a growing concern about the quality of this product. Retail outlets sell local as well as imported bottled water to consumers. Three bottles for each of 35 different brands of bottled water were randomly collected from local grocery stores in the greater Houston area. Out of the 35 different brands, 16 were designated as spring water, 11 were purified and/or fortified tap water, 5 were carbonated water and 3 were distilled water. Chemical, microbial and physical properties of all samples were evaluated including pH, conductivity, bacteria counts, anion concentration, trace metal concentration, heavy metal and volatile organics concentration were determined in all samples. Inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was used for elemental analysis, gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GCECD) as well as gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) were used for analysis of volatile organics, ion chromatography (IC) and selective ion electrodes were used for the analysis of anions. Bacterial identification was performed using the Biolog software (Biolog, Inc., Hayward, Ca, USA). The results obtained were compared with guidelines of drinking water recommended by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard. The majority of the analyzed chemicals were below their respective drinking water standards for maximum admissible concentrations (MAC). Volatile organic chemicals were found to be below detection limits. Four of the 35 brands of the bottled water samples analyzed were found to be contaminated with bacteria.

An improved filter elution and cell culture assay procedure for evaluating public groundwater systems for culturable enteroviruses.

PubMed

Dahling, Daniel R

2002-01-01

Large-scale virus studies of groundwater systems require practical and sensitive procedures for both sample processing and viral assay. Filter adsorption-elution procedures have traditionally been used to process large-volume water samples for viruses. In this study, five filter elution procedures using cartridge filters were evaluated for their effectiveness in processing samples. Of the five procedures tested, the third method, which incorporated two separate beef extract elutions (one being an overnight filter immersion in beef extract), recovered 95% of seeded poliovirus compared with recoveries of 36 to 70% for the other methods. For viral enumeration, an expanded roller bottle quantal assay was evaluated using seeded poliovirus. This cytopathic-based method was considerably more sensitive than the standard plaque assay method. The roller bottle system was more economical than the plaque assay for the evaluation of comparable samples. Using roller bottles required less time and manipulation than the plaque procedure and greatly facilitated the examination of large numbers of samples. The combination of the improved filter elution procedure and the roller bottle assay for viral analysis makes large-scale virus studies of groundwater systems practical. This procedure was subsequently field tested during a groundwater study in which large-volume samples (exceeding 800 L) were processed through the filters.

Multimycotoxin UPLC-MS/MS for tea, herbal infusions and the derived drinkable products.

PubMed

Monbaliu, Sofie; Wu, Aibo; Zhang, Dabing; Van Peteghem, Carlos; De Saeger, Sarah

2010-12-22

In recent years the consumption of tea and herbal infusions has increased. These hot drinks are consumed as daily drinks as well as for medicinal purposes. All tea varieties (white, yellow, green, oolong, black and puerh) originate from the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. All extracts made of plant or herbal materials which do not contain Camellia sinensis are referred as herbal infusions or tisanes. During processing and manufacturing fungal contamination of the plant materials is possible, enabling contamination of these products with mycotoxins. In this study a multimycotoxin UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the analysis of the raw tea and herbal infusion materials as well as for their drinkable products. The samples were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), with a mobile phase consisting of variable mixtures of water and methanol with 0.3% formic acid. The limits of detection for the different mycotoxins varied between 2.1 μg/kg and 121 μg/kg for raw materials and between 0.4 μg/L and 46 μg/L for drinkable products. Afterward 91 different tea and herbal infusion samples were analyzed. Only in one sample, Ceylon melange, 76 μg/kg fumonisin B(1) was detected. No mycotoxins were detected in the drinkable products.

Effects of green tea consumption on human fecal microbiota with special reference to Bifidobacterium species.

PubMed

Jin, Jong-Sik; Touyama, Mutsumi; Hisada, Takayoshi; Benno, Yoshimi

2012-11-01

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Its beneficial health effects and components have been extensively reviewed. However, little is known about the influence of green tea consumption on the human intestinal microbiota (HIM), which plays a crucial role in human health. Ten volunteers who did not usually consume green tea, drank it for 10 days and then stopped drinking it for 7 days. Their fecal samples were collected at three time points: before beginning the 10-day green-tea regime, at the conclusion of that 10 days, and 7 days after stopping the regime. Their fecal samples were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism with specific primer-restriction enzyme systems for HIM and by using a real-time PCR method for the Bifidobacterium species. Although the HIM of each subject was relatively stable, the proportion of Bifidobacterium species played an important role in the classification of their fecal microbiota. Although there were inter-individual differences in the Bifidobacterium species, an overall tendency for the proportion of bifidobacteria to increase because of green tea consumption was noted. However, little change was observed in the composition of Bifidobacterium species in each sample. This suggests that the change in proportion was induced, not by an inter-species transition, but by an intra-species increase and/or decrease. In conclusion, green tea consumption might act as a prebiotic and improve the colon environment by increasing the proportion of the Bifidobacterium species. © 2012 The Societies and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Multi-class methodology to determine pesticides and mycotoxins in green tea and royal jelly supplements by liquid chromatography coupled to Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Martínez-Domínguez, Gerardo; Romero-González, Roberto; Garrido Frenich, Antonia

2016-04-15

A multi-class methodology was developed to determine pesticides and mycotoxins in food supplements. The extraction was performed using acetonitrile acidified with formic acid (1%, v/v). Different clean-up sorbents were tested, and the best results were obtained using C18 and zirconium oxide for green tea and royal jelly, respectively. The compounds were determined using ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to Exactive-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The recovery rates obtained were between 70% and 120% for most of the compounds studied with a relative standard deviation <25%, at three different concentration levels. The calculated limits of quantification (LOQ) were <10 μg/kg. The method was applied to green tea (10) and royal jelly (8) samples. Nine (eight of green tea and one of royal jelly) samples were found to be positive for pesticides at concentrations ranging from 10.6 (cinosulfuron) to 47.9 μg/kg (paclobutrazol). The aflatoxin B1 (5.4 μg/kg) was also found in one of the green tea samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infant bottle propping among a low-income urban population in Mexico.

PubMed

Pérez-Escamilla, R; Segura-Millán, S; Dewey, K G

1995-06-01

The prevalence of bottle propping (permitting an infant to drink from a bottle unattended) and the determinants of this practice at 1 week and 4 months of life were studied in a selected sample of urban women in Hermosillo, Mexico. The sample (n = 165) consisted of mothers planning to breast-feed who gave birth to healthy infants at one of two public hospitals. Data were obtained by interviewing women shortly before they were discharged from the hospital and at about 1 week and 4 months postpartum. Among those mothers giving liquid breast milk substitutes to their infants, the percentage practicing bottle propping increased from 27% at 1 week (n = 20/74) to 67% at 4 months (n = 87/130). Women who practiced bottle propping at 1 week were significantly more likely to continue this practice at 4 months. Bottle propping was significantly more common, both at 1 week and 4 months, among women who had completely weaned their infants than among those who were still combining breast and formula feeding. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that 1-week risk factors for bottle propping were low socioeconomic status, being a multiparous single mother, and being a young mother (< or = 18 years old) with a female infant, while 4-month risk factors were complete weaning, delivery in a "nursery" (versus a "rooming-in") hospital, and lack of support by the mother's partner for breast-feeding. While the possible health risks associated with early bottle propping have not been well defined, the extent of the practice observed in this study suggests that such risks deserve further investigation.

Phthalates residues in plastic bottled waters.

PubMed

Al-Saleh, Iman; Shinwari, Neptune; Alsabbaheen, Ammar

2011-08-01

This study was conducted to determine the presence of phthalates in 10 different brands of bottled water available in Saudi markets and stored under different conditions. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethylphthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) were measured by headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography- mass spectrometer detector. Most of these phthalates were detected in the selected bottled water sample that might be either leached from the plastic packaging materials or contamination during bottling processes. Bottled waters stored at 4°C contained higher levels of DMP, DEP, BBP and DEHP than those stored at room temperature and outdoors. On the other hand, the levels of DMP, DEP and BBP were significantly lower in bottled waters stored at room temperature than those outdoor. It seems that temperature and sunlight play a role in the degradation of phthalates within time. The levels of BBP were the highest at 4°C storage (4.592 ± 3.081 µg/l; range: 1.194-21.128 µg/l) and approximately 76% of the bottled waters had BBP above the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.994 µg/l. Apart from DEHP (< 6 µg/l), there are not current legislations for other phthalates. Regardless of storage conditions, all our samples did not exceed the maximum established limit of DEHP. Although, the levels of phthalates in tested bottled waters were low, one should not dismiss that these chemicals may cause endocrine disruption through several mechanisms, especially to potentially vulnerable populations such as infants and pregnant women. Saudi Arabia ranks 12 in bottled water consumption (88 L per capita in 2004) among the 71 reported countries. With this high consumption, a quality assurance scheme for residue monitoring in water is quite important. Although, one cannot avoid phthalates contamination in bottled waters due to manufacturing process but at least special care should be taken regarding their storage conditions.

Associations of green tea and rock tea consumption with risk of impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance in Chinese men and women.

PubMed

Huang, Huibin; Guo, Qiuxuan; Qiu, Changsheng; Huang, Baoying; Fu, Xianguo; Yao, Jin; Liang, Jixing; Li, Liantao; Chen, Ling; Tang, Kaka; Lin, Lixiang; Lu, Jieli; Bi, Yufang; Ning, Guang; Wen, Junping; Lin, Caijing; Chen, Gang

2013-01-01

To explore the associations of green tea and rock tea consumption with risk of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). A multistage, stratified, cluster, random-sampling method was used to select a representative sample from Fujian Province in China. In total, 4808 subjects without cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, or pancreatic, liver, kidney, or gastrointestinal diseases were enrolled in the study. A standard questionnaire was used to gather data on tea (green, rock, and black) consumption and other relevant factors. The assessment of impaired glucose regulation (IGR) was using 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), the diagnostic criteria of normal glucose tolerance was according to American Diabetes Association. Green tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of IFG, while rock tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of IGT. The adjusted odds ratios for IFG for green tea consumption of <1, 1-15, 16-30, and >30 cups per week were 1.0 (reference), 0.42 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.27-0.65), 0.23 (95% CI, 0.12-0.46), and 0.41 (95% CI, 0.17-0.93), respectively. The adjusted odds ratios for IGT for rock tea consumption of <1, 1-15, 16-30, and >30 cups per week were 1.0 (reference), 0.69 (95% CI, 0.48-0.98), 0.59 (95% CI, 0.39-0.90), and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.43-0.97), respectively. A U-shaped association was observed, subjects who consumed 16-30 cups of green or rock tea per week having the lowest odds ratios for IFG or IGT. Consumption of green or rock tea may protect against the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese men and women, particularly in those who drink 16-30 cups per week.

Associations of Green Tea and Rock Tea Consumption with Risk of Impaired Fasting Glucose and Impaired Glucose Tolerance in Chinese Men and Women

PubMed Central

Huang, Huibin; Guo, Qiuxuan; Qiu, Changsheng; Huang, Baoying; Fu, Xianguo; Yao, Jin; Liang, Jixing; Li, Liantao; Chen, Ling; Tang, Kaka; Lin, Lixiang; Lu, Jieli; Bi, Yufang; Ning, Guang; Wen, Junping; Lin, Caijing; Chen, Gang

2013-01-01

Objective To explore the associations of green tea and rock tea consumption with risk of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). Methods A multistage, stratified, cluster, random-sampling method was used to select a representative sample from Fujian Province in China. In total, 4808 subjects without cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, or pancreatic, liver, kidney, or gastrointestinal diseases were enrolled in the study. A standard questionnaire was used to gather data on tea (green, rock, and black) consumption and other relevant factors. The assessment of impaired glucose regulation (IGR) was using 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), the diagnostic criteria of normal glucose tolerance was according to American Diabetes Association. Results Green tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of IFG, while rock tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of IGT. The adjusted odds ratios for IFG for green tea consumption of <1, 1–15, 16–30, and >30 cups per week were 1.0 (reference), 0.42 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.27–0.65), 0.23 (95% CI, 0.12–0.46), and 0.41 (95% CI, 0.17–0.93), respectively. The adjusted odds ratios for IGT for rock tea consumption of <1, 1–15, 16–30, and >30 cups per week were 1.0 (reference), 0.69 (95% CI, 0.48–0.98), 0.59 (95% CI, 0.39–0.90), and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.43–0.97), respectively. A U-shaped association was observed, subjects who consumed 16–30 cups of green or rock tea per week having the lowest odds ratios for IFG or IGT. Conclusions Consumption of green or rock tea may protect against the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese men and women, particularly in those who drink 16–30 cups per week. PMID:24260170

Spatial variability of theaflavins and thearubigins fractions and their impact on black tea quality.

PubMed

Bhuyan, Lakshi Prasad; Borah, Paban; Sabhapondit, Santanu; Gogoi, Ramen; Bhattacharyya, Pradip

2015-12-01

The spatial distribution of theaflavin and thearubigin fractions and their impact on black tea quality were investigated using multivariate and geostatistics techniques. Black tea samples were collected from tea gardens of six geographical regions of Assam and West Bengal, India. Total theaflavin (TF) and its four fractions of upper Assam, south bank and North Bank teas were higher than the other regions. Simple theaflavin showed highest significant correlation with tasters' quality. Low molecular weight thearubigins of south bank and North Bank were significantly higher than other regions. Total thearubigin (TR) and its fractions revealed significant positive correlation with tasters' organoleptic valuations. Tea tasters' parameters were significantly and positively correlated with each other. The semivariogram for quality parameters were best represented by gaussian models. The nugget/sill ratio indicated a strong/moderate spatial dependence of the studied parameters. Spatial variation of tea quality parameters may be used for quality assessment in the tea growing areas of India.

2-DE combined with two-layer feature selection accurately establishes the origin of oolong tea.

PubMed

Chien, Han-Ju; Chu, Yen-Wei; Chen, Chi-Wei; Juang, Yu-Min; Chien, Min-Wei; Liu, Chih-Wei; Wu, Chia-Chang; Tzen, Jason T C; Lai, Chien-Chen

2016-11-15

Taiwan is known for its high quality oolong tea. Because of high consumer demand, some tea manufactures mix lower quality leaves with genuine Taiwan oolong tea in order to increase profits. Robust scientific methods are, therefore, needed to verify the origin and quality of tea leaves. In this study, we investigated whether two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and nanoscale liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy (nano-LC/MS/MS) coupled with a two-layer feature selection mechanism comprising information gain attribute evaluation (IGAE) and support vector machine feature selection (SVM-FS) are useful in identifying characteristic proteins that can be used as markers of the original source of oolong tea. Samples in this study included oolong tea leaves from 23 different sources. We found that our method had an accuracy of 95.5% in correctly identifying the origin of the leaves. Overall, our method is a novel approach for determining the origin of oolong tea leaves. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addition of milk to tea infusions: Helpful or harmful? Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies on antioxidant properties.

PubMed

Rashidinejad, Ali; Birch, E John; Sun-Waterhouse, Dongxiao; Everett, David W

2017-10-13

Tea consumption is practised as a tradition, and has shown potential to improve human health. Maximal uptake of tea antioxidants and milk proteins without a negative impact on tea flavor is highly desired by consumers. There is a conflicting evidence of the effect of milk addition to tea on antioxidant activity. Differences in the type of tea, the composition, type and amount of milk, preparation method of tea-milk infusions, the assays used to measure antioxidant activity, and sampling size likely account for different findings. Interactions between tea polyphenols and milk proteins, especially between catechins and caseins, could account for a decrease in antioxidant activity, although other mechanisms are also possible, given the similar effects between soy and bovine milk. The role of milk fat globules and the milk fat globule membrane surface is also important when considering interactions and loss of polyphenolic antioxidant activity, which has not been addressed in the literature.

Optimization and validation of Folin-Ciocalteu method for the determination of total polyphenol content of Pu-erh tea.

PubMed

Musci, Marilena; Yao, Shicong

2017-12-01

Pu-erh tea is a post-fermented tea that has recently gained popularity worldwide, due to potential health benefits related to the antioxidant activity resulting from its high polyphenolic content. The Folin-Ciocalteu method is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive assay widely applied for the determination of total polyphenol content. Over the past years, it has been subjected to many modifications, often without any systematic optimization or validation. In our study, we sought to optimize the Folin-Ciocalteu method, evaluate quality parameters including linearity, precision and stability, and then apply the optimized model to determine the total polyphenol content of 57 Chinese teas, including green tea, aged and ripened Pu-erh tea. Our optimized Folin-Ciocalteu method reduced analysis time, allowed for the analysis of a large number of samples, to discriminate among the different teas, and to assess the effect of the post-fermentation process on polyphenol content.

Study unique artistic lopburi province for design brass tea set of bantahkrayang community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pliansiri, V.; Seviset, S.

2017-07-01

The objectives of this study were as follows: 1) to study the production process of handcrafted Brass Tea Set; and 2) to design and develop the handcrafted of Brass Tea Set. The process of design was started by mutual analytical processes and conceptual framework for product design, Quality Function Deployment, Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, Principles of Craft Design, and Principle of Reverse Engineering. The experts in field of both Industrial Product Design and Brass Handicraft Product, have evaluated the Brass Tea Set design and created prototype of Brass tea set by the sample of consumers who have ever bought the Brass Tea Set of Bantahkrayang Community on this research. The statistics methods used were percentage, mean ({{{\\overline X}} = }) and standard deviation (S.D.) 3. To assess consumer satisfaction toward of handcrafted Brass tea set was at the high level.

Comparison of two thin-film microextractions for the analysis of estrogens in aqueous tea extract and environmental water samples by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection.

PubMed

Cai, Pei-Shan; Li, Dan; Chen, Jing; Xiong, Chao-Mei; Ruan, Jin-Lan

2015-04-15

Two thin-film microextractions (TFME), octadecylsilane (ODS)-polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-TFME and polar enhanced phase (PEP)-PAN-TFME have been proposed for the analysis of bisphenol-A, diethylstilbestrol and 17β-estradiol in aqueous tea extract and environmental water samples followed by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. Both thin-films were prepared by spraying. The influencing factors including pH, extraction time, desorption solvent, desorption volume, desorption time, ion strength and reusability were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the two TFME methods are similar in terms of the analytical performance evaluated by standard addition method. The limits of detection for three estrogens in environmental water and aqueous tea extract matrix ranged from 1.3 to 1.6 and 2.8 to 7.1 ng mL(-1) by the two TFME methods, respectively. Both approaches were applied for the analysis of analytes in real aqueous tea extract and environmental water samples, presenting satisfactory recoveries ranged from 87.3% to 109.4% for the spiked samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enantioselective Dissipation of Acephate and Its Metabolite, Methamidophos, during Tea Cultivation, Manufacturing, and Infusion.

PubMed

Pan, Rong; Chen, Hongping; Wang, Chen; Wang, Qinghua; Jiang, Ying; Liu, Xin

2015-02-04

The enantioselective dissipation of acephate and its metabolite, methamidophos, was investigated during tea cultivation, manufacturing, and infusion, using QuEChERS sample preparation technique and gas chromatography coupled with a BGB-176 chiral column. Results showed that (+)-acephate and (-)-acephate dissipated following first-order kinetics in fresh tea leaves with half-lives of 1.8 and 1.9 days, respectively. Acephate was degraded into a more toxic metabolite, methamidophos. Preferential dissipation and translocation of (+)-acephate may exist in tea shoots, and (-)-methamidophos was degraded more rapidly than (+)-methamidophos. During tea manufacturing, drying and spreading (or withering) played important roles in the dissipation of acephate enantiomers. The enantiometic fractions of acephate changed from 0.495-0.496 to 0.479-0.486 (P ≤ 0.0081), whereas those of methamidophos changed from 0.576-0.630 to 0.568-0.645 (P ≤ 0.0366 except for green tea manufacturing on day 1), from fresh tea leaves to made tea. In addition, high transfer rates (>80%) and significant enantioselectivity (P ≤ 0.0042) of both acephate and its metabolite occurred during tea brewing.

Representing infant feeding: content analysis of British media portrayals of bottle feeding and breast feeding

PubMed Central

Henderson, Lesley; Kitzinger, Jenny; Green, Josephine

2000-01-01

Objective To examine how breast feeding and bottle feeding are represented by the British media. Design Content analysis. Subjects Television programmes and newspaper articles that made reference to infant feeding during March 1999. Setting UK mass media. Main outcome measures Visual and verbal references to breast or bottle feeding in newspapers and television programmes. Results Overall, 235 references to infant feeding were identified in the television sample and 38 in the newspaper sample. Bottle feeding was shown more often than breast feeding and was presented as less problematic. Bottle feeding was associated with “ordinary” families whereas breast feeding was associated with middle class or celebrity women. The health risks of formula milk and the health benefits of breast feeding were rarely mentioned. Conclusions The media rarely present positive information on breast feeding, even though this feeding practice is associated with the most health benefits. Health professionals and policy makers should be aware of patterns in media coverage and the cultural background within which women make decisions about infant feeding. PMID:11073512

Evanescent wave sensing and absorption analysis of herbal tea floral extracts in the presence of silver metal complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priyamvada, V. C.; Radhakrishnan, P.

2017-06-01

Fiber optic evanescent wave sensors are used for studying the absorption properties of biochemical samples. The studies give precise information regarding the actual ingredients of the samples. Recent studies report the corrosion of silver in the presence glucose dissolved in water and heated to a temperature of 70°C. Based on this report evanescent absorption studies are carried out in hibiscus herbal tea floral extracts in the presence of silver metal complexes. These studies can also lead to the evaluation of the purity of the herbal tea extract.

Structural characterization and evaluation of the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides extracted from Qingzhuan brick tea.

PubMed

Yang, Xinhe; Huang, Mingjun; Qin, Caiqin; Lv, Bangyu; Mao, Qingli; Liu, Zhonghua

2017-08-01

The crude tea polysaccharides (CTPS) from Qingzhuan brick tea(QZBT) were extracted and fractionated to afford two fractions, namely TPS-1 and TPS-2. Analyses were conducted concerning the structural characterization and antioxidant activities of these samples. Component analysis revealed that the carbohydrate, uronic acid, protein and polyphenol contents of these samples differed significantly. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that these samples showed similar characteristic absorption peaks for polysaccharides. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analyses indicated that there were considerable differences in the presence of protein, surface features, conformational characteristics and thermodynamic behaviors. For antioxidant activities in vitro, CTPS, TPS-1 and TPS-2 exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activities, with TPS-2 showing significantly higher antioxidant activity than CTPS and TPS-1. These results provide a scientific and strong foundation for the use of tea polysaccharides(TPS) from QZBT and further research towards the relationships between the characteristics and antioxidant activities of TPS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field comparison of solar water disinfection (SODIS) efficacy between glass and polyethylene terephalate (PET) plastic bottles under sub-Saharan weather conditions.

PubMed

Asiimwe, J K; Quilty, B; Muyanja, C K; McGuigan, K G

2013-12-01

Concerns about photodegradation products leaching from plastic bottle material into water during solar water disinfection (SODIS) are a major psychological barrier to increased uptake of SODIS. In this study, a comparison of SODIS efficacy using glass and plastic polyethylene terephalate (PET) bottles was carried out under strong real sunlight and overcast weather conditions at Makerere University in central Uganda. Both clear and turbid natural water samples from shallow wells and open dug wells, respectively, were used. Efficacy was determined from the inactivation of a wild strain of Escherichia coli in solar-exposed contaminated water in both glass and PET bottles. The studies reveal no significant difference in SODIS inactivation between glass and PET bottles (95% CI, p > 0.05), for all water samples under the different weather conditions except for clear water under overcast conditions where there was a small but significant difference (95% CI, p = 0.047) with less viable bacterial counts in PET bottles at two intermediate time points but not at the end of the exposure. The results demonstrate that SODIS efficacy in glass under tropical field conditions is comparable to PET plastic. SODIS users in these regions can choose either of reactors depending on availability and preference of the user.

Technical note: In vitro total gas and methane production measurements from closed or vented rumen batch culture systems.

PubMed

Cattani, M; Tagliapietra, F; Maccarana, L; Hansen, H H; Bailoni, L; Schiavon, S

2014-03-01

This study compared measured gas production (GP) and computed CH4 production values provided by closed or vented bottles connected to gas collection bags. Two forages and 3 concentrates were incubated. Two incubations were conducted, where the 5 feeds were tested in 3 replicates in closed or vented bottles, plus 4 blanks, for a total of 64 bottles. Half of the bottles were not vented, and the others were vented at a fixed pressure (6.8 kPa) and gas was collected into one gas collection bag connected to each bottle. Each bottle (317 mL) was filled with 0.4000 ± 0.0010 g of feed sample and 60 mL of buffered rumen fluid (headspace volume = 257 mL) and incubated at 39.0°C for 24 h. At 24 h, gas samples were collected from the headspace of closed bottles or from headspace and bags of vented bottles and analyzed for CH4 concentration. Volumes of GP at 24 h were corrected for the gas dissolved in the fermentation fluid, according to Henry's law of gas solubility. Methane concentration (mL/100mL of GP) was measured and CH4 production (mL/g of incubated DM) was computed using corrected or uncorrected GP values. Data were analyzed for the effect of venting technique (T), feed (F), interaction between venting technique and feed (T × F), and incubation run as a random factor. Closed bottles provided lower uncorrected GP (-18%) compared with vented bottles, especially for concentrates. Correction for dissolved gas reduced but did not remove differences between techniques, and closed bottles (+25 mL of gas/g of incubated DM) had a greater magnitude of variation than did vented bottles (+1 mL of gas/g of incubated DM). Feeds differed in uncorrected and corrected GP, but the ranking was the same for the 2 techniques. The T × F interaction influenced uncorrected GP values, but this effect disappeared after correction. Closed bottles provided uncorrected CH4 concentrations 23% greater than that of vented bottles. Correction reduced but did not remove this difference. Methane concentration was influenced by feed but not by the T × F interaction. Corrected CH4 production was influenced by feed, but not by venting technique or the T × F interaction. Closed bottles provide good measurements of CH4 production but not of GP. Venting of bottles at low pressure permits a reliable evaluation of total GP and CH4 production. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continental bottled water assessment by stir bar sorptive extraction followed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SBSE-GC-MS/MS).

PubMed

Guart, Albert; Calabuig, Ignacio; Lacorte, Silvia; Borrell, Antonio

2014-02-01

This study was aimed to determine the presence of 69 organic contaminants in 77 representative bottled waters collected from 27 countries all over the world. All water samples were contained in polyethylene terephthalate bottles. Target compounds were (1) environmental contaminants (including 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 31 pesticides including organochlorine (OCPs), organophosphorus, and pyrethroids; 7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and 7 triazines) and (2) plasticizers (including 6 phthalates and 5 other compounds). Samples were analyzed by stir bar sorptive extraction followed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PAHs, OCPs, PCBs, and triazines, which are indicators of groundwater pollution, were not detected in most of the samples, except for naphthalene (0.005-0.202 μg/L, n = 16). On the other hand, plastic components were detected in 77 % of the samples. Most frequently detected compounds were dimethyl phthalate and benzophenone at concentrations of 0.005-0.125 (n = 41) and 0.014-0.921 (n = 32), respectively. Levels detected are discussed in terms of contamination origin and geographical distribution. Target compounds were detected at low concentrations. Results obtained showed the high quality of bottled water in the different countries around the world.

Transfer of ochratoxin A from raw black tea to tea infusions prepared according to the Turkish tradition.

PubMed

Toman, Jakub; Malir, Frantisek; Ostry, Vladimir; Kilic, Mehmet Akif; Roubal, Tomas; Grosse, Yann; Pfohl-Leszkowicz, Annie

2018-01-01

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a natural contaminant of food including tea with multiple toxic effects, which poses a threat to human health. In terms of lifestyle, the Turkish population is a frequent visitor of tearooms, and the traditional Turkish tea preparation is one of the most popular ways of preparing tea infusion. The aim of this study was to investigate OTA transfer from raw black tea to the tea infusion prepared according to the Turkish tradition. A high-performance liquid chromatography method with a limit of quantification of 0.35 ng g -1 was used for OTA determination. The OTA amount in raw black teas from Turkey ranged from ≤0.35 ng g -1 up to 56.7 ng g -1 . An homogenised sample of black tea naturally contaminated with 55.0 ng g -1 was used to prepare infusions. The OTA transfer from the black tea to the infusion was found to be 41.5% ± 7%. These data are important for the realisation of a 'Total Diet study' (TDS). The TDS can be a complementary tool to estimate the population dietary exposure to OTA across the entire diet by analysing main foods prepared 'as consumed' (tea infusions) and not 'as purchased' (raw tea). © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Determination of nitrogen mustard hydrolysis products, ethanolamines by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatization.

PubMed

Ohsawa, Isaac; Seto, Yasuo

2006-07-28

A method for determining N-ethyldiethanolamine (EDEA), N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and triethanolamine (TEA), hydrolysis products of nitrogen mustards, in water, urine and blood samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after derivatization by tert-butyldimethylsilylation (TBDMS) is described. The sample solution was evaporated to dryness, and reacted with N-methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) at 60 degrees C for 1h. The TBDMS derivatives were separated on a DB-5 column and detected by electron-ionization MS. The quantitation of EDEA, MDEA and TEA was performed by measuring the respective peak areas on the extracted ion chromatograms of m/z 216, m/z 202 and m/z 346, respectively, using nonadecane (C19), the peak area of which was measured at m/z 268, as an internal standard. When the water sample was initially analyzed, considerable loss of EDEA, MDEA and TEA occurred by evaporation. The addition of hydrochloric acid (HCl) to the water sample (final 1 mM), however, permitted quantitative recoveries to be achieved (88%, 88% and 79% for EDEA-(TBDMS)2, MDEA-(TBDMS)2 and TEA-(TBDMS)3, respectively). The limits of detections (LODs, scan mode, S/N = 3) were 2.5, 2.5 and 10 ng/ml for EDEA, MDEA and TEA, respectively. Ethanolamines could be also determined in urine samples (volume 0.1 ml), with reasonable recoveries of 72-100% by the addition of HCl (final 1 mM). For the analysis of serum samples, the sample was precipitated by the addition of perchloric acid (final 3.2%), and the resulting supernatant was neutralized with potassium carbonate, and then acidified by the addition of HCl. The recovery of TBDMS derivatives of ethanolamines was found to rather low (7-31%).

Relieving Dry Mouth: Varying Levels of pH Found in Bottled Water.

PubMed

Fisher, Bailey Jean; Spencer, Angela; Haywood, Van; Konchady, Gayathri

2017-07-01

It is estimated that 30% of people older than 60 years suffer from hyposalivation or dry mouth. Drinking water frequently has been recommended as a safe, non-pharmacologic way to combat hyposalivation. The saliva in patients with dry mouth is acidic. Beverages consumed daily may have an erosive potential on teeth. The pH and the mineral content of the beverage determine its erosive potential. An acidic beverage, therefore, may have harmful effects on mineralized tooth structures, causing erosion of enamel, dentin, and cementum. Because bottled water is both convenient and easily available, the authors tested the pH of eight common brands of bottled water. (One brand included two different bottle types, for a total of nine bottled waters tested.) To standardize the pH electrode, pH buffers of 4.7 and 10 were used. The pH was measured using the Denver Instruments basic pH meter. Six recordings were used for each brand and then averaged to report the pH. Two of the bottled water samples tested were below the critical level of 5.2 pH to 5.5 pH, the level at which erosion of enamel occurs. Six of the samples tested were below the critical pH of 6.8, at which erosion of root dentin occurs. The authors conclude that both patients and clinicians incorrectly presume bottled water to be innocuous. Clinicians should be cognizant of the erosive potential of different brands of bottled water to both educate patients and to recommend water with neutral or alkaline pH for patients with symptoms of dry mouth to prevent further deterioration and demineralization of tooth structure.

Chemical composition, plant secondary metabolites, and minerals of green and black teas and the effect of different tea-to-water ratios during their extraction on the composition of their spent leaves as potential additives for ruminants.

PubMed

Ramdani, Diky; Chaudhry, Abdul Shakoor; Seal, Chris J

2013-05-22

This study characterized the chemical composition of green and black teas as well as their spent tea leaves (STL) following boiling in water with different tea-to-water ratios. The green and black tea leaves had statistically similar (g/kg dry matter (DM), unless stated otherwise) DM (937 vs 942 g/kg sample), crude protein (240 vs 242), and ash (61.8 vs 61.4), but green tea had significantly higher (g/kg DM) total phenols (231 vs 151), total tannins (204 vs 133), condensed tannins (176 vs 101), and total saponins (276 vs 86.1) and lower neutral detergent fiber (254 vs 323) and acid detergent fiber (211 vs 309) than the black tea leaves. There was no significant difference between the green and black tea leaves for most mineral components except Mn, which was significantly higher in green tea leaves, and Na and Cu, which were significantly higher in black tea leaves. A higher tea-to-water ratio during extraction significantly reduced the loss of soluble compounds into water and hence yielded more nutrient-rich STL. On the basis of these analyses it appears that the green and black tea leaves alongside their STL have the potential for use as sources of protein, fiber, secondary metabolites, and minerals in ruminant diets. The presence of high levels of plant secondary metabolites in either tea leaves or their STL suggests that they may have potential for use as natural additives in ruminant diets.

Sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of decaffeinated green teas.

PubMed

Lee, S M; Lee, H-S; Kim, K-H; Kim, K-O

2009-04-01

Green tea has been widely consumed for its mild flavors and its health benefits, yet caffeine in green tea has been a limitation for those who want to avoid it. The limitation brought increase in need for decaffeinated products in the green tea market. Most of the conventional decaffeination techniques applied in food use organic solvents. However, supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction (SC-CO2) method is gaining its intension as one of the future decaffeination methods that overcomes the problems of conventional methods. The purpose of this study was to identify sensory characteristics of decaffeinated green teas applied with SC-CO2 method and to observe the relationship with consumer acceptability to elucidate the potentiality of applying SC-CO2 technique in decaffeinated green tea market. Descriptive analysis was performed on 8 samples: green teas containing 4 caffeine levels (10%, 35%, 60%, and 100%) infused at 2 infusing periods (1 or 2 min). It was found that the SC-CO2 process not only reduced caffeine but also decreased some important features of original tea flavors. Two groups were recruited for consumer acceptability test: one (GP I, N = 52), consuming all types of green teas including hot/cold canned teas; and the other (GP II, N = 40), only consuming the loose type. While GP II liked original green tea the most, GP I liked highly decaffeinated green teas. Although the SC-CO2 method had limitations of losing complex flavors of green teas, it appeared to have future potential in the decaffeinated green tea market within or without the addition of desirable flavors.

Investigation of epigallocatechin-3-O-caffeoate and epigallocatechin-3-O-p-coumaroate in tea leaves by LC/MS-MS analysis.

PubMed

Umehara, Masahiro; Yanae, Koji; Maruki-Uchida, Hiroko; Sai, Masahiko

2017-12-01

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), the major catechin present in green tea, exhibits potent antioxidant activity. We thereby investigated the presence of unknown components bearing the (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) moiety in fresh tea leaf samples. Initially, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to examine fresh tea leaves of the Yabukita, the most popular tea cultivar in Japan, which suggested the presence of the EGC phenylpropanoid derivatives, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-p-coumaroate (EGCpCA) and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-caffeoate (EGCCA). The structures of the detected EGCpCA and EGCCA were then confirmed by LC-MS/MS using synthesized EGCpCA and EGCCA as standards. In addition, EGCpCA and EGCCA were evaluated for their antioxidant activity in the ORAC (oxygen radical antioxidant capacity) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assays, where EGCCA (8.60μmolTE/μmol, TE=Trolox equivalents) exhibited a stronger antioxidant activity than EGCG (5.52μmolTE/μmol) in the ORAC assay. Finally, EGCpCA and EGCCA were quantitated in several tea leaf samples using LC-MS/MS, and it was found that these compounds were present in lower quantities (EGCpCA, 16.8-345.8μg/g, EGCCA, 4.3-75.1μg/g in the dry tea leaves) than the major catechins. In this study, we found the potent antioxidant EGCCA using LC-MS/MS and revealed its wide existence in various tea leaves. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the volatile components in green tea by IRAE-HS-SPME/GC-MS combined with multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Yang, Yan-Qin; Yin, Hong-Xu; Yuan, Hai-Bo; Jiang, Yong-Wen; Dong, Chun-Wang; Deng, Yu-Liang

2018-01-01

In the present work, a novel infrared-assisted extraction coupled to headspace solid-phase microextraction (IRAE-HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed for rapid determination of the volatile components in green tea. The extraction parameters such as fiber type, sample amount, infrared power, extraction time, and infrared lamp distance were optimized by orthogonal experimental design. Under optimum conditions, a total of 82 volatile compounds in 21 green tea samples from different geographical origins were identified. Compared with classical water-bath heating, the proposed technique has remarkable advantages of considerably reducing the analytical time and high efficiency. In addition, an effective classification of green teas based on their volatile profiles was achieved by partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Furthermore, the application of a dual criterion based on the variable importance in the projection (VIP) values of the PLS-DA models and on the category from one-way univariate analysis (ANOVA) allowed the identification of 12 potential volatile markers, which were considered to make the most important contribution to the discrimination of the samples. The results suggest that IRAE-HS-SPME/GC-MS technique combined with multivariate analysis offers a valuable tool to assess geographical traceability of different tea varieties.

A psychometric study of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children in the Chinese setting.

PubMed

Chan, Raymond C K; Wang, Li; Ye, Jiawen; Leung, Winnie W Y; Mok, Monica Y K

2008-07-01

To explore the psychometric properties of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) in the context of a Chinese setting. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the construct validity of the Chinese version of the TEA-Ch among a group of 232 children without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Test-retest reliability was tested on a random sub-sample of 20 children at a 4-week interval. Clinical discrimination was also examined by comparing children with and without ADHD (22 in each group) on the performances of the TEA-Ch. The current Chinese sample demonstrated a three-factor solution for attentional performance among children without ADHD, namely selective attention, executive control/switch, and sustained attention (chi(2)(24)=34.56; RMSEA=.044; p=.075). Moreover, the whole test demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability at a 4-week interval among a small sub-sample. Children with ADHD performed significantly more poorly than healthy controls in most of the subtests of the TEA-Ch. The results of the present study demonstrate that the test items remain useful in China, a culture very different from that in which the test originated. Finally, the TEA-Ch also presents several advantages when compared to other conventional objective measures of attention.

Characterization of the volatile components in green tea by IRAE-HS-SPME/GC-MS combined with multivariate analysis

PubMed Central

Yin, Hong-Xu; Yuan, Hai-Bo; Jiang, Yong-Wen; Dong, Chun-Wang; Deng, Yu-Liang

2018-01-01

In the present work, a novel infrared-assisted extraction coupled to headspace solid-phase microextraction (IRAE-HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed for rapid determination of the volatile components in green tea. The extraction parameters such as fiber type, sample amount, infrared power, extraction time, and infrared lamp distance were optimized by orthogonal experimental design. Under optimum conditions, a total of 82 volatile compounds in 21 green tea samples from different geographical origins were identified. Compared with classical water-bath heating, the proposed technique has remarkable advantages of considerably reducing the analytical time and high efficiency. In addition, an effective classification of green teas based on their volatile profiles was achieved by partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Furthermore, the application of a dual criterion based on the variable importance in the projection (VIP) values of the PLS-DA models and on the category from one-way univariate analysis (ANOVA) allowed the identification of 12 potential volatile markers, which were considered to make the most important contribution to the discrimination of the samples. The results suggest that IRAE-HS-SPME/GC-MS technique combined with multivariate analysis offers a valuable tool to assess geographical traceability of different tea varieties. PMID:29494626

Potential mechanisms for the effects of tea extracts on the attachment, biofilm formation and cell size of Streptococcus mutans.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Lee, Sui M; Dykes, Gary A

2013-01-01

Tea can inhibit the attachment of Streptococcus mutans to surfaces and subsequent biofilm formation. Five commercial tea extracts were screened for their ability to inhibit attachment and biofilm formation by two strains of S. mutans on glass and hydroxyapatite surfaces. The mechanisms of these effects were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and phytochemical screening. The results indicated that extracts of oolong tea most effectively inhibited attachment and extracts of pu-erh tea most effectively inhibited biofilm formation. SEM images showed that the S. mutans cells treated with extracts of oolong tea, or grown in medium containing extracts of pu-erh tea, were coated with tea components and were larger with more rounded shapes. The coatings on the cells consisted of flavonoids, tannins and indolic compounds. The ratio of tannins to simple phenolics in each of the coating samples was ∼3:1. This study suggests potential mechanisms by which tea components may inhibit the attachment and subsequent biofilm formation of S. mutans on tooth surfaces, such as modification of cell surface properties and blocking of the activity of proteins and the structures used by the bacteria to interact with surfaces.

Toxic and essential mineral elements content of black tea leaves and their tea infusions consumed in Iran.

PubMed

Salahinejad, Maryam; Aflaki, Fereydoon

2010-04-01

The metal contents of eleven black tea samples, four cultivated in Iran and seven imported, and their tea infusions were determined. Twelve elements consisting toxic metals (Al, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni) and essential mineral elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ca, and Mg) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Al, Ca, Mg, and Mn ranged in black tea leaves at mg g(-1) levels, while Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn were at microg g(-1) levels. Analysis of variance showed no statistically significant differences among most elements determined in cultivated and imported black teas in Iran except for Ni and Cu. The extraction efficiency of each element into tea infusions was evaluated. The solubility of measured metals in infusion extracts varied widely and ranged from 0 to 59.3%. Among the studied elements, Cr, Pb, and Cd showed the lowest rates of solubility and Ni had the highest rates of solubility. The amount of toxic metals and essential mineral elements that one may take up through consumption of black tea infusion was estimated. The amount of realizing each element into tea infusions and acceptable daily intake, for safety consumption of black tea, was compared.

Updated bioavailability and 48 h excretion profile of flavan-3-ols from green tea in humans.

PubMed

Calani, Luca; Del Rio, Daniele; Luisa Callegari, Maria; Morelli, Lorenzo; Brighenti, Furio

2012-08-01

Green tea is a popular beverage, prepared with infusion of unfermented dried leaves of Camellia sinensis, and is one of the most relevant sources of polyphenolic compounds in the human diet. This study reports green tea flavan-3-ol absorption, metabolism and complete urinary excretion up to 48 h in 20 healthy volunteers. Urinary and tea samples were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Green tea contained monomeric flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins with a total polyphenol content of 728 μmol. A total of 41 metabolites were identified in urines, all present in conjugated forms. Among these, six colonic metabolites of green tea flavan-3-ols were identified for the first time after green tea consumption in humans. The average 48 h bioavailability was close to 62%, major contributors being microbial metabolites. Some volunteer showed a 100% absorption/excretion, whereas some others were unable to efficiently absorb/excrete this class of flavonoids. This suggests that colonic ring fission metabolism could be relevant in the putative bioactivity of green tea polyphenols.

Does oolong tea (Camellia sinensis) made from a combination of leaf and stem smell more aromatic than leaf-only tea? Contribution of the stem to oolong tea aroma.

PubMed

Zeng, Lanting; Zhou, Ying; Fu, Xiumin; Mei, Xin; Cheng, Sihua; Gui, Jiadong; Dong, Fang; Tang, Jinchi; Ma, Shengzhou; Yang, Ziyin

2017-12-15

The raw materials used to make oolong tea (Camellia sinensis) are a combination of leaf and stem. Oolong tea made from leaf and stem is thought to have a more aromatic smell than leaf-only tea. However, there is no available evidence to support the viewpoint. In this study, sensory evaluation and detailed characterization of emitted and internal volatiles (not readily emitted, but stored in samples) of dry oolong teas and infusions indicated that the presence of stem did not significantly improve the total aroma characteristics. During the enzyme-active processes, volatile monoterpenes and theanine were accumulated more abundantly in stem than in leaf, while jasmine lactone, indole, and trans-nerolidol were lower in stem than in leaf. Tissue-specific aroma-related gene expression and availability of precursors of aroma compounds resulted in different aroma distributions in leaf and stem. This study presents the first determination of the contribution of stem to oolong tea aroma. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the level of boron concentrations in black teas with fruit teas available on the Polish market.

PubMed

Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Frankowski, Marcin; Novotny, Karel; Kanicky, Viktor

2014-01-01

The determination of boron by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been carried in water-soluble and acid soluble (total content) fractions of 36 samples of traditional black tea and fruit brew. The estimation of the impact of the type of tea on the concentration of boron in water-soluble and acid extracts and potential human health risk from the daily intake of boron was carried out in this study. The levels of boron differed significantly in black and fruit tea types. The mean total content of boron ranged from 8.31 to 18.40 mg/kg in black teas, from 12.85 to 15.13 mg/kg in black tea with fruit flavor, and from 12.09 to 22.77 mg/kg in fruit brews. The degree of extraction of boron in black tea ranged from 8% to 27% and for fruit tea from 17% to 69%. In addition, the values below 25% were of black teas with fruit flavors. The daily intake of B from tea infusions (three cups/day) is still within the average daily intake except for some of the fruit brews which exceed acceptable regulations of the daily intake of total boron by humans. Hence, it may not produce any health risks for human consumption, if other sources of metal contaminated food are not taken at the same time.

Rapid tea catechins and caffeine determination by HPLC using microwave-assisted extraction and silica monolithic column.

PubMed

Rahim, A A; Nofrizal, S; Saad, Bahruddin

2014-03-15

A rapid reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method using a monolithic column for the determination of eight catechin monomers and caffeine was developed. Using a mobile phase of water:acetonitrile:methanol (83:6:11) at a flow rate of 1.4 mL min(-1), the catechins and caffeine were isocratically separated in about 7 min. The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.11-0.29 and 0.33-0.87 mg L(-1), respectively. Satisfactory recoveries were obtained (94.2-105.2 ± 1.8%) for all samples when spiked at three concentrations (5, 40 and 70 mg L(-1)). In combination with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), the method was applied to the determination of the catechins and caffeine in eleven tea samples (6 green, 3 black and 2 oolong teas). Relatively high levels of caffeine were found in black tea, but higher levels of the catechins, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) were found in green teas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Origin of sennosides in health teas including Malva leaves].

PubMed

Kojima, T; Kishi, M; Sekita, S; Satake, M

2001-06-01

The aim of this study is to clarify whether sennosides are contained in the leaf of Malva verticillata L., and then to clarify the source of sennosides in health teas including malva leaves. The identification and determination of sennosides were performed with thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. The leaf of Malva verticillata L. did not contain sennosides A or B and could be easily distinguished from senna leaf. Our previous report showed that sennosides are contained in weight-reducing herbal teas including malva leaves, and that senna leaf is a herbal component in some teas. Furthermore, in 10 samples of health tea including malva leaves that were bought last year, the smallest amount of sennosides was 6.1 mg/bag, and all health teas including malva leaves contained the leaf and midrib of senna. We suggest that sennosides A and B are not contained in the leaf of Malva verticillata L., and that the sennosides in health teas including malva leaves are not derived from malva leaf but from senna leaf.

Contamination of Tea and Tea Infusion with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

PubMed Central

Zachara, Alicja; Gałkowska, Dorota; Juszczak, Lesław

2017-01-01

The aim of this work was to validate the method of determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), i.e., benzo(a)pyrene and sum of benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and chrysene in different types of tea, as well as to assess the transfer of these contaminants from tea to tea infusion. The research materials were popular types of black, green, red and white tea. Quantitative and qualitative determination of PAHs was performed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with fluorimetric detection (HPLC-FLD). The samples were prepared by QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) technique followed by cleaning-up by dispersion solid-phase extraction (d-SPE). Values of limit of detection and limit of quantification obtained in the validation of the method were lower than the respective maximum values given in Commission Regulation (EU) No. 836/2011. The level of contamination of popular teas commercially available on the Polish market with PAHs is similar to that of teas available in other countries, with a very large variation in the concentration of each of the compounds. The highest benzo(a)pyrene and Σ4PAHs contents (209 ± 42 μg/kg and 756 ± 151 μg/kg, respectively) were found for black tea leaves. The transfer of Σ4PAHs from black tea to tea infusions was 0.48%, while it was 1.55–1.72% for red, white and green teas. PMID:29283369

Optical Measurements with Related Chemical, Biological, and Physical Parameters from the Central Equatorial Pacific Ocean: NOAA Ship Discoverer Cruise RP-9-DI-84

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

stations one and two, separate casts were made for Freon sampling and deep geochemistry sampling with either Freon syringes or 30-liter bottles. On...subsequent stations, deep geochemistry and Freon sampling were done on one cast. A separate cast for chlorophyll using 10-liter bottles on the Rosette...vertical to horizontal. The deck sensor used was a Biospherical Instruments, Inc., Solar Reference Hemispherical Irradiance Sensor which monitors the

Quantitative HPLC Analysis of Rosmarinic Acid in Extracts of "Melissa officinalis" and Spectrophotometric Measurement of Their Antioxidant Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canelas, Vera; da Costa, Cristina Teixeira

2007-01-01

The students prepare tea samples using different quantities of lemon balm leaves ("Melissa officinalis") and measure the rosmarinic acid contents by an HPLC-DAD method. The antioxidant properties of the tea samples are evaluated by a spectrophotometric method using a radical-scavenging assay with DPPH. (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). Finally the…

Selective determination of aluminum bound with tannin in tea infusion.

PubMed

Erdemoğlu, Sema B; Güçer, Seref

2005-08-01

In this study, an analytical method for indirect measurement of Al bound with tannin in tea infusion was studied. This method utilizes the ability of the tannins to precipitate with protein. Separation conditions were investigated using model solutions. This method is uncomplicated, inexpensive and suitable for real samples. About 34% of the total Al in brew extracted from commercially available teas was bound to condensed and hydrolyzable tannins.

Occurrence of acrylamide carcinogen in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea from Saudi Arabian market

PubMed Central

Khan, Mohammad Rizwan; Alothman, Zeid Abdullah; Naushad, Mu; Alomary, Ahmed Khodran; Alfadul, Sulaiman Mohammed; Alsohaimi, Ibrahim Hotan; Algamdi, Mohammad Saad

2017-01-01

The present work describes the outcomes of the assessment on acrylamide contents in a number of thermally treated foods (Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea) obtained from the Saudi Arabian markets. A total of 56 food samples of different brands and origin were studied, the amounts of acrylamide in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea were obtained in the range of 10 to 682 μg kg−1. In comparison to coffee (152–682 μg kg−1), the Arabic coffee Qahwa (73–108 μg kg−1) and tea (10–97 μg kg−1) contain lower amounts of acrylamide. Among the analyzed samples, the green tea contained low amounts of acrylamide ranged from 10 to 18 μg kg−1, and thus the green tea could be considered as a healthier hot drink. A great variation of acrylamide formation has been observed in these food products. This divergence may be due to the initial concentration of amino acids especially asparagines and reducing sugars in food products, in addition to roasting temperature and time, pH and water activity. The obtained data can also be used in epidemiological investigation to estimate the acrylamide exposure from nutritional survey. PMID:28150749

Occurrence of acrylamide carcinogen in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea from Saudi Arabian market.

PubMed

Khan, Mohammad Rizwan; Alothman, Zeid Abdullah; Naushad, Mu; Alomary, Ahmed Khodran; Alfadul, Sulaiman Mohammed; Alsohaimi, Ibrahim Hotan; Algamdi, Mohammad Saad

2017-02-02

The present work describes the outcomes of the assessment on acrylamide contents in a number of thermally treated foods (Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea) obtained from the Saudi Arabian markets. A total of 56 food samples of different brands and origin were studied, the amounts of acrylamide in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea were obtained in the range of 10 to 682 μg kg -1 . In comparison to coffee (152-682 μg kg -1 ), the Arabic coffee Qahwa (73-108 μg kg -1 ) and tea (10-97 μg kg -1 ) contain lower amounts of acrylamide. Among the analyzed samples, the green tea contained low amounts of acrylamide ranged from 10 to 18 μg kg -1 , and thus the green tea could be considered as a healthier hot drink. A great variation of acrylamide formation has been observed in these food products. This divergence may be due to the initial concentration of amino acids especially asparagines and reducing sugars in food products, in addition to roasting temperature and time, pH and water activity. The obtained data can also be used in epidemiological investigation to estimate the acrylamide exposure from nutritional survey.

Occurrence of acrylamide carcinogen in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea from Saudi Arabian market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Mohammad Rizwan; Alothman, Zeid Abdullah; Naushad, Mu; Alomary, Ahmed Khodran; Alfadul, Sulaiman Mohammed; Alsohaimi, Ibrahim Hotan; Algamdi, Mohammad Saad

2017-02-01

The present work describes the outcomes of the assessment on acrylamide contents in a number of thermally treated foods (Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea) obtained from the Saudi Arabian markets. A total of 56 food samples of different brands and origin were studied, the amounts of acrylamide in Arabic coffee Qahwa, coffee and tea were obtained in the range of 10 to 682 μg kg-1. In comparison to coffee (152-682 μg kg-1), the Arabic coffee Qahwa (73-108 μg kg-1) and tea (10-97 μg kg-1) contain lower amounts of acrylamide. Among the analyzed samples, the green tea contained low amounts of acrylamide ranged from 10 to 18 μg kg-1, and thus the green tea could be considered as a healthier hot drink. A great variation of acrylamide formation has been observed in these food products. This divergence may be due to the initial concentration of amino acids especially asparagines and reducing sugars in food products, in addition to roasting temperature and time, pH and water activity. The obtained data can also be used in epidemiological investigation to estimate the acrylamide exposure from nutritional survey.

Metaphysics of the tea ceremony: a randomized trial investigating the roles of intention and belief on mood while drinking tea.

PubMed

Shiah, Yung-Jong; Radin, Dean

2013-01-01

This study explored whether drinking tea "treated" with good intentions would enhance mood more than drinking ordinary tea, under double-blind, randomized conditions. Each evening, for seven days in a row, volunteers recorded their mood using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. On days three, four, and five of the test, each participant drank 600 mL of oolong tea in the morning and again in the afternoon. One randomly assigned group blindly received tea that had been intentionally treated by three Buddhist monks; the other group blindly received untreated tea from the same source. On the last day of the test, each person indicated what type of tea he/she believed he/she had been drinking. Stratified, random sampling was used to assign 189 adults into two groups matched by age, gender, the psychological trait of neuroticism, and the amount of tea consumed on average per day. All participants were Taiwanese and lived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and the test was conducted over the course of one week to reduce mood fluctuations due to changes in local weather and other common influences. Those who drank treated tea showed a greater increase in mood than those who drank untreated tea (Cohen's d = 0.65, P = .02, two-tailed). Change in mood in those who believed that they were drinking treated tea was much better than those who did not believe (Cohen's d = 1.45, P = .00002, two-tailed). Tea treated with good intentions improved mood more than ordinary tea derived from the same source. Belief that one was drinking treated tea produced a large improvement in mood, but only if one was actually drinking the treated tea, indicating that belief and intentional enhancement interact. This also suggests that the esthetic and intentional qualities associated with the traditional tea ceremony may have subtle influences that extend beyond the ritual itself. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbal teas for infants, pregnant or lactating women.

PubMed

Mädge, Inga; Cramer, Luise; Rahaus, Ines; Jerz, Gerold; Winterhalter, Peter; Beuerle, Till

2015-11-15

A general contamination of tea with pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) has just become known. Here, we report the application and modification of a new HPLC-ESI-MS/MS sum parameter method to quantitate PA content of herbal teas intended for infants, pregnant and lactating women. Using p-toluenesulfonyl isocyanate for derivatization and a stable isotope labeled internal standard, the total retronecine-/heliotridine-type PA content of the samples is expressed in form of a single sum parameter (retronecine equivalents: RE). The new methods were applied to analyze 44 tea samples for such consumer groups. Thirty eight products (86%) were tested PA positive showing PA concentrations ranging from 0 to 391 μg RE/kg (average: 50 μg RE/kg). The dataset is discussed in the view of the current discussion on PA in the food chain with special focus on those particular vulnerable consumer groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Descriptive analysis of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children in a Spanish Normative Sample.

PubMed

Pardos, Alexandra; Quintero, Javier; Zuluaga, Pilar; Fernández, Alberto

2016-09-01

Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch) has been validated in different countries demonstrating that it is an instrument with a correct balance between reliability and duration. Given the shortage of trustworthy instruments of evaluation in our language for infantile population we decide to explore the Spanish version of the TEA-Ch. We administered TEA-Ch (version A) to a sample control of 133 Spanish children from 6 to 11 years enrolled in school in the Community of Madrid. Four children were selected at random by course of Primary Education, distributing the sex of equivalent form. Descriptive analysis and comparison by ages and sex in each of the TEA-Ch´s subtests were conducted to establish a profile of the sample. In order to analyze the effect of the age, subjects were grouped in six sub-samples: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 years-old. This first descriptive analysis demonstrates age exerted a significant effect on each measure, due to an important “jump” in children´s performance between 6 and 7 years-old. The effect of sex was significant only in two visual attention measures (Sky Search & Map) and interaction age and sex exerted a significant effect only in the dual task (Score DT). The results suggest that the Spanish version of the TEA-Ch (A) might be a useful instrument to evaluate attentional processes in Spanish child population.

Results of Hg speciation testing on tanks 30, 32, and 37 depth samples

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bannochie, C. J.

2015-11-30

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was tasked with preparing and shipping samples for Hg speciation by Eurofins Frontier Global Sciences, Inc. in Seattle, WA on behalf of the Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Mercury Task Team. The twelfth shipment of samples was designated to include 3H evaporator system Tank 30, 32, and 37 depth samples. The Tank 30 depth sample (HTF-30-15-70) was taken at 190 inches from the tank bottom and the Tank 32 depth sample (HTF-32-15-68) was taken at 89 inches from the tank bottom and both were shipped to SRNL on June 29, 2015 in an 80 mLmore » stainless steel dip bottles. The Tank 37 surface sample (HTF-37-15-94) was taken around 253.4 inches from the tank bottom and shipped to SRNL on July 21, 2015 in an 80 mL stainless steel dip bottle. All samples were placed in the SRNL Shielded Cells and left unopened until intermediate dilutions were made on July 24, 2015 using 1.00 mL of sample diluted to 100.00 mL with deionized H 2O. A 30 mL Teflon® bottle was rinsed twice with the diluted tank sample and then filled leaving as little headspace as possible. It was immediately removed from the Shielded Cells and transferred to refrigerated storage where it remained at 4 °C until final dilutions were made on October 20. A second portion of the cells diluted tank sample was poured into a shielded polyethylene bottle and transferred to Analytical Development for radiochemical analysis data needed for Hazardous Material Transportation calculations.« less

Calcite precipitates in Slovenian bottled waters.

PubMed

Stanič, Tamara Ferjan; Miler, Miloš; Brenčič, Mihael; Gosar, Mateja

2017-06-01

Storage of bottled waters in varying ambient conditions affects its characteristics. Different storage conditions cause changes in the initial chemical composition of bottled water which lead to the occurrence of precipitates with various morphologies. In order to assess the relationship between water composition, storage conditions and precipitate morphology, a study of four brands of Slovenian bottled water stored in PET bottles was carried out. Chemical analyses of the main ions and measurements of the physical properties of water samples were performed before and after storage of water samples at different ambient conditions. SEM/EDS analysis of precipitates was performed after elapsed storage time. The results show that the presence of Mg 2+ , SO 4 2- , SiO 2 , Al, Mn and other impurities such as K + , Na + , Ba and Sr in the water controlled precipitate morphology by inhibiting crystal growth and leading to elongated rhombohedral calcite crystal forms which exhibit furrowed surfaces and calcite rosettes. Different storage conditions, however, affected the number of crystallization nuclei and size of calcite crystals. Hollow calcite spheres composed of cleavage rhombohedrons formed in the water with variable storage conditions by a combination of evaporation and precipitation of water droplets during high temperatures or by the bubble templating method.

[Study on processed senna found in health teas].

PubMed

Takahashi, Mitsuko; Miyazawa, Maki; Sakurai, Katsumi; Watabe, Kenjiro; Kojima, Takashi

2009-12-01

Sennoside A and B were detected in 21 commercial health tea products surveyed in 2000-2007, but there were 8 products in which the leaves could not be identified as senna because the leaves had become discolored. The results of assay of sennoside levels and TLC chromatograms suggested that processed senna had been used in these products. Next, with reference to tea and health tea manufacturing methods, pharmaceutical senna was roasted or wet-processed experimentally. The results indicated that the discolored leaves contained in commercial health tea were most likely derived from senna leaves. Moreover, sennosides in medicinal doses were detected in some processed senna samples, and were determined to have a cathartic action in mice. Based on morphological confirmation and the results of component analysis, including sennoside, the discolored leaves found in commercial health teas were therefore determined to be senna leaves. There may be possible health risks, including diarrhea.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; comparison of a nitric acid in-bottle digestion procedure to other whole-water digestion procedures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garbarino, John R.; Hoffman, Gerald L.

1999-01-01

A hydrochloric acid in-bottle digestion procedure is used to partially digest wholewater samples prior to determining recoverable elements by various analytical methods. The use of hydrochloric acid is problematic for some methods of analysis because of spectral interference. The inbottle digestion procedure has been modified to eliminate such interference by using nitric acid instead of hydrochloric acid in the digestion. Implications of this modification are evaluated by comparing results for a series of synthetic whole-water samples. Results are also compared with those obtained by using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1994) (USEPA) Method 200.2 total-recoverable digestion procedure. Percentage yields that use the nitric acid inbottle digestion procedure are within 10 percent of the hydrochloric acid in-bottle yields for 25 of the 26 elements determined in two of the three synthetic whole-water samples tested. Differences in percentage yields for the third synthetic whole-water sample were greater than 10 percent for 16 of the 26 elements determined. The USEPA method was the most rigorous for solubilizing elements from particulate matter in all three synthetic whole-water samples. Nevertheless, the variability in the percentage yield by using the USEPA digestion procedure was generally greater than the in-bottle digestion procedure, presumably because of the difficulty in controlling the digestion conditions accurately.

HPLC determination of caffeine in coffee beverage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fajara, B. E. P.; Susanti, H.

2017-11-01

Coffee is the second largest beverage which is consumed by people in the world, besides the water. One of the compounds which contained in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine has the pharmacological effect such as stimulating the central nervous system. The purpose of this study is to determine the level of caffeine in coffee beverages with HPLC method. Three branded coffee beverages which include in 3 of Top Brand Index 2016 Phase 2 were used as samples. Qualitative analysis was performed by Parry method, Dragendorff reagent, and comparing the retention time between sample and caffeine standard. Quantitative analysis was done by HPLC method with methanol-water (95:5v/v) as mobile phase and ODS as stationary phasewith flow rate 1 mL/min and UV 272 nm as the detector. The level of caffeine data was statistically analyzed using Anova at 95% confidence level. The Qualitative analysis showed that the three samples contained caffeine. The average of caffeine level in coffee bottles of X, Y, and Z were 138.048 mg/bottle, 109.699 mg/bottle, and 147.669 mg/bottle, respectively. The caffeine content of the three coffee beverage samples are statistically different (p<0.05). The levels of caffeine contained in X, Y, and Z coffee beverage samples were not meet the requirements set by the Indonesian Standard Agency of 50 mg/serving.

Intelligent evaluation of color sensory quality of black tea by visible-near infrared spectroscopy technology: A comparison of spectra and color data information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouyang, Qin; Liu, Yan; Chen, Quansheng; Zhang, Zhengzhu; Zhao, Jiewen; Guo, Zhiming; Gu, Hang

2017-06-01

Instrumental test of black tea samples instead of human panel test is attracting massive attention recently. This study focused on an investigation of the feasibility for estimation of the color sensory quality of black tea samples using the VIS-NIR spectroscopy technique, comparing the performances of models based on the spectra and color information. In model calibration, the variables were first selected by genetic algorithm (GA); then the nonlinear back propagation-artificial neural network (BPANN) models were established based on the optimal variables. In comparison with the other models, GA-BPANN models from spectra data information showed the best performance, with the correlation coefficient of 0.8935, and the root mean square error of 0.392 in the prediction set. In addition, models based on the spectra information provided better performance than that based on the color parameters. Therefore, the VIS-NIR spectroscopy technique is a promising tool for rapid and accurate evaluation of the sensory quality of black tea samples.

The impact of grape skin bioactive functionality information on the acceptability of tea infusions made from wine by-products.

PubMed

Cheng, Vern Jou; Bekhit, Alaa El-Din A; Sedcole, Richard; Hamid, Nazimah

2010-05-01

The effect of information on the health benefits of bio-active compounds on the acceptability of 5 tea infusions made from grape skins generated from wine processing waste (from Vitis vinifera var. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris) was investigated. Samples of tea infusions with natural additives (PNHGT25 and PGGT50) and without additives (control PN, control PG, and PNPG50) were evaluated by 45 in-home consumer panels (30 female, 15 male) before and after information on the health benefits of grape skins were provided. Information significantly increased the overall acceptability, overall aroma, flavor, and aftertaste of the infusions. The results obtained showed a clear tendency toward increased purchase intention (by 29%) when information on the health benefits of the tea infusion samples was provided to consumers. Interactions existed between gender/infusion samples and stage of information on the purchase intention. Females recorded a significant increase (by 53%) in purchase intention, whereas no change in the males' purchase intention was found after information was provided.

Intelligent evaluation of color sensory quality of black tea by visible-near infrared spectroscopy technology: A comparison of spectra and color data information.

PubMed

Ouyang, Qin; Liu, Yan; Chen, Quansheng; Zhang, Zhengzhu; Zhao, Jiewen; Guo, Zhiming; Gu, Hang

2017-06-05

Instrumental test of black tea samples instead of human panel test is attracting massive attention recently. This study focused on an investigation of the feasibility for estimation of the color sensory quality of black tea samples using the VIS-NIR spectroscopy technique, comparing the performances of models based on the spectra and color information. In model calibration, the variables were first selected by genetic algorithm (GA); then the nonlinear back propagation-artificial neural network (BPANN) models were established based on the optimal variables. In comparison with the other models, GA-BPANN models from spectra data information showed the best performance, with the correlation coefficient of 0.8935, and the root mean square error of 0.392 in the prediction set. In addition, models based on the spectra information provided better performance than that based on the color parameters. Therefore, the VIS-NIR spectroscopy technique is a promising tool for rapid and accurate evaluation of the sensory quality of black tea samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water Quality Evaluation of PET Bottled Water by Mineral Balance in the Northeast Asian Region: A Case Study of South Korea

PubMed Central

Houri, Daisuke; Koo, Chung Mo

2015-01-01

Background The past few years have seen a demand for drinking water in contemporary society with a focus on safety and taste. Mineral water is now marketed as a popular commercial product and, partly due to health concerns, the production. Methods For the study, a comparison was carried out of water samples from 9 types of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water sold in South Korea as well as from tap water in the cities of Seoul and Chuncheon. These were compared with samples of Japanese PET bottled water in order to determine shared commonalities and identify individual characteristics. To evaluate water quality objectively, we quantified the elements contained in the water samples. Samples were assessed not with the usual sensory evaluation but with the evaluation approach advocated by Hashimoto et al. which employs the Water Index of Taste and the Water Index of Health. The levels of water quality obtained were compared with the “Prerequisites for Tasty Water” and the “Standards for Tasty Water” devised for city water. Results The PET Bottled water varieties analyzed in this study—Seoksu, Icis, Bong Pyong, Soon Soo 100, Dong Won Saem Mul, GI JANG SOO and DIAMOND—showed the Water Index of Taste ≥ 2.0 and the Water Index of Health ≥ 5.2, which we classified as tasty/healthy water. SamDaSoo and NamiNeral can be classified as tasty water due to their values of the Water Index of Taste ≥ 2.0 and the Water Index of Health < 5.2. Conclusion The South Korean PET bottled water studied here fulfills the “Water Index of Taste,” “Water Index of Health,” “Standard for Tasty Water” and “Prerequisites for Tasty Water” that Japanese people value for city water. We can conclude that bottled water which meets water quality requirements will be considered good-tasting by a majority of people. PMID:26538797

Water Quality Evaluation of PET Bottled Water by Mineral Balance in the Northeast Asian Region: A Case Study of South Korea.

PubMed

Houri, Daisuke; Koo, Chung Mo

2015-09-01

The past few years have seen a demand for drinking water in contemporary society with a focus on safety and taste. Mineral water is now marketed as a popular commercial product and, partly due to health concerns, the production. For the study, a comparison was carried out of water samples from 9 types of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottled water sold in South Korea as well as from tap water in the cities of Seoul and Chuncheon. These were compared with samples of Japanese PET bottled water in order to determine shared commonalities and identify individual characteristics. To evaluate water quality objectively, we quantified the elements contained in the water samples. Samples were assessed not with the usual sensory evaluation but with the evaluation approach advocated by Hashimoto et al. which employs the Water Index of Taste and the Water Index of Health. The levels of water quality obtained were compared with the "Prerequisites for Tasty Water" and the "Standards for Tasty Water" devised for city water. The PET Bottled water varieties analyzed in this study-Seoksu, Icis, Bong Pyong, Soon Soo 100, Dong Won Saem Mul, GI JANG SOO and DIAMOND-showed the Water Index of Taste ≥ 2.0 and the Water Index of Health ≥ 5.2, which we classified as tasty/healthy water. SamDaSoo and NamiNeral can be classified as tasty water due to their values of the Water Index of Taste ≥ 2.0 and the Water Index of Health < 5.2. The South Korean PET bottled water studied here fulfills the "Water Index of Taste," "Water Index of Health," "Standard for Tasty Water" and "Prerequisites for Tasty Water" that Japanese people value for city water. We can conclude that bottled water which meets water quality requirements will be considered good-tasting by a majority of people.

Physicochemical quality and health implications of bottled water brands sold in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Amogne, Wossen T; Gizaw, Melaku; Abera, Daniel

2015-06-01

Water bottling companies often assert that their products are of the highest quality and are conforming to the standards. The objective of the study was to assess the physicochemical quality of bottled waters consumed in Ethiopia and to compare the findings with the national and international water quality standards. Eleven domestic and two imported bottled water brands were randomly purchased in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at three different occasions from July 2013 to May 2014. A total of 39 composite samples were examined for aggregate parameters, major anions, and common cations in accordance with the procedures described in the standard methods. We found that 7.7% of the samples were containing higher levels of alkalinity, hardness, total dissolved solids, pH, HCO3-, Na+, and Ca2+ than the national standards and the WHO guidelines. However, the deviations from standards for all the above parameters were not statistically significant (one-sample t-test, P>0.05). Conversely, in some of the brands, some of the essential elements like Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, and F- were found at very low concentrations. The rest of the parameters, including CO3(2-), SO4(2-), PO4(3-) (orthophosphates), Cl-, F-, NO3-, NO2-, K+, Mg2+, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb were within the acceptable ranges in all the brands. Bottled water brands containing very high concentrations of dissolved substances may pose health risks for individuals living with heart and kidney related problems. On the other hand, brands having chemicals lower than the optimum level may also harm the health of consumers who choose those brands as a sole source of drinking water. Thus, we suggest those responsible authorities to ensure regular monitoring and testing for chemical compositions of bottled water.

Rapid determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tea using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Drabova, Lucie; Pulkrabova, Jana; Kalachova, Kamila; Tomaniova, Monika; Kocourek, Vladimir; Hajslova, Jana

2012-10-15

A simple, fast, and cost effective sample preparation procedure has been developed and validated for the determination of 15+1 European Union Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (15+1 EU PAHs) in dried tea leave samples. Based on a critical assessment of several sample extraction/clean-up approaches, the method based on the ethyl acetate extraction followed by the use of PAHs dedicated cartridges with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) has been found as an optimal alternative in terms of time demands and obtained good extract purity. For the final identification/quantification of target PAHs, two dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) was used. The performance characteristics of the overall analytical method for individual PAHs determined at three spiking levels (0.5, 2.5 and 5 μg kg(-1)) were in following ranges: limits of quantitation (LOQs) 0.05-0.2 μg kg(-1), repeatabilities 2-9%, and recoveries 73-103%. The recoveries achieved by the newly developed sample preparation procedure when employed for naturally contaminated sample ("incurred" PAHs) were comparable to those obtained by other routinely used approaches employing sonication and/or pressurised liquid extraction for sample analytes isolation. The validated method was subsequently used for the determination of selected genotoxic PAHs in 36 samples of black and green tea obtained from the Czech retail market. The levels of ΣPAH4 (sum of benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (CHR), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbFA) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)) in black and green tea leaves ranged from 7.4 to 700 μg kg(-1) and from 4.5 to 102 μg kg(-1), respectively. Contamination of tested tea samples by BaP was in the range of 0.2-152 μg kg(-1). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 as solid-phase microextraction Arrow coating for sampling of amines in wastewater and food samples followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Lan, Hangzhen; Rönkkö, Tuukka; Parshintsev, Jevgeni; Hartonen, Kari; Gan, Ning; Sakeye, Motolani; Sarfraz, Jawad; Riekkola, Marja-Liisa

2017-02-24

In this study, a novel solid phase microextration (SPME) Arrow was prepared for the sampling of volatile low molecular weight alkylamines (trimethylamine (TMA) and triethylamine (TEA)) in wastewater, salmon and mushroom samples before gas chromatographic separation with mass spectrometer as detector. Acidified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (A-ZIF-8) was utilized as adsorbent and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) as the adhesive. The custom SPME Arrow was fabricated via a physical adhesion: (1) ZIF-8 particles were suspended in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and PVC to form a homogeneous suspension, (2) a non-coated stainless steel SPME Arrow was dipped in the ZIF-8/PVC suspension for several times to obtain a uniform and thick coating, (3) the pore size of ZIF-8 was modified by headspace exposure to hydrochloric acid in order to increase the extraction efficiency for amines. The effect of ZIF-8 concentration in PVC solution, dipping cycles and aging temperature on extraction efficiency was investigated. In addition, sampling parameters such as NaCl concentration, sample volume, extraction time, potassium hydroxide concentration, desorption temperature and desorption time were optimized. The Arrow-to-Arrow reproducibilities (RSDs) for five ZIF-8 coated Arrows were 15.6% and 13.3% for TMA and TEA, respectively. The extraction with A-ZIF-8/PVC Arrow was highly reproducible for at least 130 cycles without noticeable decrease of performance (RSD<12.5%). Headspace SPME of 7.5mL sample solution with the fabricated ZIF-8 coated Arrow achieved linear ranges of 1-200ngmL -1 for both TMA and TEA. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was 1ngmL -1 for both TMA and TEA. The method was successfully applied to the determination of TMA and TEA in wastewater, salmon and mushroom samples giving satisfactory selectivity towards the studied amines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of salts in soil using transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) carbon dioxide (CO2) laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) by the aid of a metal mesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris, N.; Ramli, M.; Khumaeni, A.; Kurihara, K.

2018-04-01

In this work, a nickel metal mesh was used to allow a direct detection of salt in soil sample by LIBS utilizing unique characteristics of a TEA CO2. The metal mesh is placed in the front of the soil sample to prevent the soil sample from blowing off upon focusing the high pulsed laser beam irradiation. LIBS apparatus used in this work is a TEA CO2 laser operated at wavelength of 10.6 μm with pulse energy and duration of 3J and 200 ns, respectively. The laser beam was focused using a ZnSe lens (f = 200 mm) onto soil sample after passing through the metal mesh. The emission spectrum from the induced plasma was detected using an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) system consisting of a 0.32-m-focal length spectrograph with a grating of 1200 graves/mm and a 1024-channel photodiode detector array with a micro-channel plate intensifier. The soil sample used is a standard soil and ordinary soil containing several salts such as Ca, Mg at high concentration. The LIBS experiment was carried out at high pressure surrounding gas of 1 atmosphere. It was observed that by the aid of the metal mesh, strong breakdown gas plasma can be produced just after TEA CO2 laser irradiation on soil sample without significant sample blowing off. It was found that emission lines from salts, Ca (Ca II 393. 3 nm, Ca II 396.3 nm, Ca I 422.5 nm), and also other salts including Mg and Na can clearly be detected with strong emission intensity and narrow spectral width. This result implies that a TEA CO2 LIBS assisted by the metal mesh (metal mesh method) can be used for direct analysis several salts such as Ca, Mg, and Na in soil sample.

Infant feeding bottle design, growth and behaviour: results from a randomised trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Whether the design of an anti-vacuum infant feeding bottle influences infant milk intake, growth or behavior is unknown, and was the subject of this randomized trial. Methods Subjects 63 (36 male) healthy, exclusively formula-fed term infants. Intervention Randomisation to use Bottle A (n = 31), one-way air valve: Philips Avent) versus Bottle B (n = 32), internal venting system: Dr Browns). 74 breast-fed reference infants were recruited, with randomisation (n = 24) to bottle A (n = 11) or B (n = 13) if bottle-feeding was subsequently introduced. Randomisation stratified by gender and parity; computer-based telephone randomisation by independent clinical trials unit. Setting Infant home. Primary outcome measure infant weight gain to 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes (i) milk intake (ii) infant behaviour measured at 2 weeks (validated 3-day diary); (iii) risk of infection; (iv) continuation of breastfeeding following introduction of mixed feeding. Results Number analysed for primary outcome Bottle A n = 29, Bottle B n = 25. Primary outcome There was no significant difference in weight gain between randomised groups (0-4 weeks Bottle A 0.74 (SD 1.2) SDS versus bottle B 0.51 (0.39), mean difference 0.23 (95% CI -0.31 to 0.77). Secondary outcomes Infants using bottle A had significantly less reported fussing (mean 46 versus 74 minutes/day, p < 0.05) than those using bottle B. There was no significant difference in any other outcome measure. Breast-fed reference group There were no significant differences in primary or secondary outcomes between breast-fed and formula fed infants. The likelyhood of breastfeeding at 3 months was not significantly different in infants subsequently randomised to bottle A or B. Conclusion Bottle design may have short-term effects on infant behaviour which merit further investigation. No significant effects were seen on milk intake or growth; confidence in these findings is limited by the small sample size and this needs confirmation in a larger study. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov NCT00325208. PMID:22424116

Meadowsweet Teas as New Functional Beverages: Comparative Analysis of Nutrients, Phytochemicals and Biological Effects of Four Filipendula Species.

PubMed

Olennikov, Daniil N; Kashchenko, Nina I; Chirikova, Nadezhda K

2016-12-26

In recent years, the increased popularity of functional beverages such as herbal teas and decoctions has led to the search for new sources of raw materials that provide appropriate taste and functionality to consumers. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional, phytochemical profiles and bioactivities of possible functional beverages produced from F. ulmaria and its alternative substitutes ( F. camtschatica , F. denudata , F. stepposa ). The investigated decoctions were analyzed regarding their macronutrient, carbohydrate, organic acid, amino acid and mineral composition. Quantification of the main phenolic compounds in the decoctions of meadowsweet floral teas was performed by a microcolumn RP-HPLC-UV procedure; the highest content was revealed in F. stepposa tea. The investigation of the essential oil of four meadowsweet teas revealed the presence of 28 compounds, including simple phenols, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and aliphatic components. The dominance of methyl salicylate and salicylaldehyde was noted in all samples. Studies on the water soluble polysaccharides of Filipendula flowers allowed us to establish their general affiliation to galactans and/or arabinogalactans with an admixture of glucans of the starch type and galacturonans as minor components. The bioactivity data demonstrated a good ability of meadowsweet teas to inhibit amylase, α-glucosidase and AGE formation. Tea samples showed antioxidant properties by the DPPH • , ABTS •+ and Br • free radicals scavenging assays and the carotene bleaching assay, caused by the presence of highly active ellagitannins. The anti-complement activity of the water-soluble polysaccharide fraction of meadowsweet teas indicated their possible immune-modulating properties. Filipendula beverage formulations can be expected to deliver beneficial effects due to their unique nutritional and phytochemical profiles. Potential applications as health-promoting functional products may be suggested.

Identification and quantitation of alkaloids in coca tea

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Amanda J.; Llosa, Teobaldo; Montoya, Ivan

2008-01-01

The consumption of coca tea is a common occurrence in many South American countries. The tea is often packaged in individual servings as tea bags which contain approximately 1 g of plant material. The consumption of coca tea leads to ingestion of cocaine and other alkaloids: however, there is little information available regarding the pharmacological or toxicological effects that result from consumption of coca tea. We performed a series of studies with coca tea bags from two South American countries, Peru and Bolivia. The alkaloidal content of the ‘coca leaf’ in coca tea bags was determined by two different extraction methods: Soxhlet extraction with methanol (exhaustive extraction), and mechanical agitation with methanol. Extracts were purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Coca tea prepared from Peruvian and Bolivian coca tea bags was also analyzed by SPE-GC/MS assay. In addition, urine specimens were analyzed from an individual who consumed one cup of Peruvian coca tea and one cup of Bolivian coca tea on separate occasions. Urine samples were analyzed by immunoassay (TDxR) and SPE-GC/MS. Analysis of coca tea bags and coca tea indicated that cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester and trans-cinnamoylcocaine were present in varying quantities. With exhaustive extraction, an average of 5.11 mg, and 4.86 mg of cocaine per tea bag were found in coca leaf from Peru and Bolivia, respectively. The average amounts of benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester in Peruvian coca leaf were 0.11 and 1.15 mg, and in Bolivian coca leaf were 0.12 and 2.93 mg per tea bag, respectively. trans-Cinnamoylcocaine was found in trace amounts in Peruvian tea bags and 0.16 mg/tea bag of Bolivian tea. When tea was prepared, an average of 4.14 mg of cocaine was present in a cup of Peruvian coca tea and 4.29 mg of cocaine was present in Bolivian tea. Following the consumption of a cup of Peruvian tea by one individual, a peak urine benzoylecgonine concentration of 3940 ng/ml occurred 10 h after ingestion. Consumption of Bolivian coca tea resulted in a peak benzoylecgonine concentration of 4979 ng/ml at 3.5 h. The cumulative urinary excretion of benzoylecgonine after approximately 48 h, determined by GC/MS, was 3.11 mg and 2.69 mg after consumption of Peruvian and Bolivian coca tea, respectively. This study demonstrated that coca tea bags and coca tea contain a significant amount of cocaine and cocaine-related alkaloids and the consumption of a single cup of Peruvian or Bolivian coca tea produces positive drug test results for cocaine metabolites. PMID:8819993

Magic at the Marketplace: Choice Blindness for the Taste of Jam and the Smell of Tea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Lars; Johansson, Petter; Tarning, Betty; Sikstrom, Sverker; Deutgen, Therese

2010-01-01

We set up a tasting venue at a local supermarket and invited passerby shoppers to sample two different varieties of jam and tea, and to decide which alternative in each pair they preferred the most. Immediately after the participants had made their choice, we asked them to again sample the chosen alternative, and to verbally explain why they chose…

Detecting aroma changes of local flavored green tea (Camellia sinensis) using electronic nose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ralisnawati, D.; Sukartiko, A. C.; Suryandono, A.; Triyana, K.

2018-03-01

Indonesia is currently the sixth largest tea producer in the world. However, consumption of the product in the country was considered low. Besides tea, the country also has various local flavor ingredients that are potential to be developed. The addition of local flavored ingredients such as ginger, lemon grass, and lime leaves on green tea products is gaining acceptance from consumers and producers. The aroma of local flavored green tea was suspected to changes during storage, while its sensory testing has some limitations. Therefore, the study aimed to detect aroma changes of local flavors added in green tea using electronic nose (e-nose), an instrument developed to mimic the function of the human nose. The test was performed on a four-gram sample. The data was collected with 120 seconds of sensing time and 60 seconds of blowing time. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to find out the aroma changes of local flavored green tea during storage. We observed that electronic nose could detect aroma changes of ginger flavored green tea from day 0 to day 6 with variance percentage 99.6%. Variance proportion of aroma changes of lemon grass flavored green tea from day 0 to day 6 was 99.3%. Variance proportion of aroma changes of lime leaves flavored green tea from day 0 to day 6 was 99.4%.

Quality evaluation of green tea leaf cultured under artificial light condition using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Miyauchi, Shunsuke; Yonetani, Tsutomu; Yuki, Takayuki; Tomio, Ayako; Bamba, Takeshi; Fukusaki, Eiichiro

2017-02-01

For an experimental model to elucidate the relationship between light quality during plant culture conditions and plant quality of crops or vegetables, we cultured tea plants (Camellia sinensis) and analyzed their leaves as tea material. First, metabolic profiling of teas from a tea contest in Japan was performed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and then a ranking predictive model was made which predicted tea rankings from their metabolite profile. Additionally, the importance of some compounds (glutamine, glutamic acid, oxalic acid, epigallocatechin, phosphoric acid, and inositol) was elucidated for measurement of the quality of tea leaf. Subsequently, tea plants were cultured in artificial conditions to control these compounds. From the result of prediction by the ranking predictive model, the tea sample supplemented with ultraviolet-A (315-399 nm) showed the highest ranking. The improvement in quality was thought to come from the high amino-acid and decreased epigallocatechin content in tea leaves. The current study shows the use and value of metabolic profiling in the field of high-quality crops and vegetables production that has been conventionally evaluated by human sensory analysis. Metabolic profiling enables us to form hypothesis to understand and develop high quality plant cultured under artificial condition. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of teapot materials on the chemical composition of oolong tea infusions.

PubMed

Liao, Zih-Hui; Chen, Ying-Jie; Tzen, Jason Tze-Cheng; Kuo, Ping-Chung; Lee, Maw-Rong; Mai, Fu-Der; Rairat, Tirawat; Chou, Chi-Chung

2018-01-01

The flavor and quality of tea are widely believed to be associated with the pot in which the tea is made. However, this claim is mostly by experiences and lacks solid support from scientific evidence. The current study investigated and compared the chemical compositions of oolong tea made with six different teapot materials, namely Zisha, Zhuni, stainless steel, ceramic, glass and plastic. For each tea sample, polyphenols and caffeine were examined by HPLC-UV, volatile compounds by GC/MS, amino acids by LC/MS and minerals by ICP-MS. The results suggested that tea infusions from Zisha and Zhuni pots contain higher levels of EGC, EGCG and total catechins and less caffeine than those from ceramic, glass and plastic pots and tend to have the lowest total mineral contents, potassium and volatile compounds in tea soup. The statistical differences were not all significant among Zisha, Zhuni and stainless steel pots. Based on the overall chemical composition of the tea infusion, Yixing clay pots (Zisha and Zhuni) produce tea infusions that are presumably less bitter and more fragrant and tend to contain more healthful compounds than tea infusions from other pots. The results could partially explain why Yixing clay pots are among the most popular teapots. The beneficial effects of long-term repeated use of these teapots warrants further study. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tea consumption is not associated with reduced plasma folate concentration among Chinese pregnant women.

PubMed

Liu, Jufen; Jin, Lei; Zhang, Yali; Zhang, Le; Li, Zhiwen; Wang, Linlin; Ye, Rongwei; Ren, Aiguo

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between tea consumption and plasma folate concentration in populations with high and low prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in China. Cross-sectional survey was conducted in three cities/counties in China, in which 1724 pregnant women during early second trimester were recruited and interviewed about tea consumption and folic acid use in 2011 to 2012. A total of 5-ml nonfasting blood sample was collected and plasma folate concentration was determined by microbiological assay. Approximately 16.2% of the women reported that they had ever drank tea during and before the current pregnancy, women with higher educational level, and those who resided in urban were more likely to drink tea. Most of them prefer green tea (55.2%); 13.6% of women drank tea ">6 times/week," and 29.0% of them drank "less than once a week." The median of plasma folate concentration was 48.7 nmol/L in women who drank tea while it is 45.2 nmol/L in women who did not drink tea, with no statistical difference. The results showed there was no association between tea drinking and plasma folate concentration in Chinese pregnant women stratified by folic acid supplementation and other selected characteristics. Low level of tea drinking is not associated with decreased plasma folate concentration in the Chinese populations with high and low prevalence of NTDs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of the Level of Boron Concentrations in Black Teas with Fruit Teas Available on the Polish Market

PubMed Central

Zioła-Frankowska, Anetta; Frankowski, Marcin; Novotny, Karel; Kanicky, Viktor

2014-01-01

The determination of boron by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry has been carried in water-soluble and acid soluble (total content) fractions of 36 samples of traditional black tea and fruit brew. The estimation of the impact of the type of tea on the concentration of boron in water-soluble and acid extracts and potential human health risk from the daily intake of boron was carried out in this study. The levels of boron differed significantly in black and fruit tea types. The mean total content of boron ranged from 8.31 to 18.40 mg/kg in black teas, from 12.85 to 15.13 mg/kg in black tea with fruit flavor, and from 12.09 to 22.77 mg/kg in fruit brews. The degree of extraction of boron in black tea ranged from 8% to 27% and for fruit tea from 17% to 69%. In addition, the values below 25% were of black teas with fruit flavors. The daily intake of B from tea infusions (three cups/day) is still within the average daily intake except for some of the fruit brews which exceed acceptable regulations of the daily intake of total boron by humans. Hence, it may not produce any health risks for human consumption, if other sources of metal contaminated food are not taken at the same time. PMID:25379551

Association of coffee and tea intake with the oral microbiome: results from a large cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Peters, Brandilyn A; McCullough, Marjorie L; Purdue, Mark P; Freedman, Neal D; Um, Caroline Y; Gapstur, Susan M; Hayes, Richard B; Ahn, Jiyoung

2018-04-27

The oral microbiota play a central role in oral health, and possibly in carcinogenesis. Research suggests coffee and tea consumption may have beneficial health effects. We examined the associations of these common beverages with the oral ecosystem in a large cross-sectional study. We assessed oral microbiota in mouthwash samples from 938 participants in two U.S. cohorts using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Coffee and tea intake were assessed from food frequency questionnaires. We examined associations of coffee and tea intake with overall oral microbiota diversity and composition using linear regression and permutational MANOVA, respectively, and with taxon abundance using negative binomial generalized linear models; all models adjusted for age, sex, cohort, BMI, smoking, ethanol intake, and energy intake. Higher tea intake was associated with greater oral microbiota richness (P=0.05) and diversity (P=0.006), and shifts in overall community composition (P=0.002); coffee was not associated with these microbiome parameters. Tea intake was associated with altered abundance of several oral taxa; these included Fusobacteriales, Clostridiales, and Shuttleworthia satelles (higher with increasing tea) and Bifidobacteriaceae, Bergeyella, Lactobacillales, and Kingella oralis (lower with increasing tea). Higher coffee intake was only associated with greater abundance of Granulicatella and Synergistetes. In the largest study to date of tea and coffee consumption in relation to the oral microbiota, the microbiota of tea drinkers differed in several ways from non-drinkers. Tea-driven changes to the oral microbiome may contribute to previously observed associations between tea and oral and systemic diseases, including cancers. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Intake of green tea inhibited increase of salivary chromogranin A after mental task stress loads

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Green tea has become renowned for its health benefits. In this study, we investigated the anti-stress effect of two kinds of green tea against a mental stress task load. Methods Warm water, ordinary green tea (Sagara), and shaded white tea, which contains more amino acid components than Sagara, were used as test samples in a randomized cross-over design study. Eighteen students (nine male and nine female) participated in three experimental trials on different days at intervals of seven days. Saliva was collected before beverage intake and after performing the mental stress load tasks. Concentration of chromogranin A (CgA) in the saliva was used as an index of autonomic nervous system activity. Results CgA level increased after the mental tasks, but intake of green tea inhibited this increase; the anti-stress effect was even greater after consumption of shaded white tea. Intake of shaded white tea also lowered Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) score on the Profile of Mood States (POMS); subjects in this condition tended to perform more calculations in the arithmetic task than those in the warm water treatment condition. Conclusions Salivary CgA concentration levels increased after mental stress load tasks, but ingestion of green tea inhibited this increase. This anti-stress effect was larger after the consumption of shaded white tea than after Sagara. Shaded white tea intake also lowered TMD score (POMS) and tended to improve performance on an arithmetic task compared to warm water, suggesting that shaded white tea might also improve mood during and after mental stress load. PMID:25034805

Tea-induced calmness: Sugar-sweetened tea calms consumers exposed to acute stressor

PubMed Central

Samant, Shilpa. S.; Wilkes, Katherine; Odek, Zephania; Seo, Han-Seok

2016-01-01

The food and beverage industry has been increasingly replacing sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners in their sweetened products to control or reduce total calories. Research comparing the effect of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners on emotional state of participants exposed to acute stressors is still limited. This study aimed to determine the effect of drinking tea sweetened with either a nutritive sweetener (sugar) or a non-nutritive sweetener (sucralose or stevia) on emotional state, in terms of calmness and pleasantness, of participants exposed to an acute stressor. Effects of acute stress on sweetness intensity and overall liking of tea beverages were also determined. Results showed that the possibility of tea-induced calmness, calculated as the difference between calmness ratings after and before drinking a tea sample, was established on stress session in the sugar-sweetened tea. Overall liking, but not the sweetness intensity, of the sugar-sweetened tea was affected by acute stress. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that the consumption of tea sweetened with nutritive sweetener, but not with non-nutritive sweetener, has calming effect on consumers with acute stress, suggesting that this effect may not be due to the sweet taste of sugar, but due to the caloric nature of the sweetener. PMID:27848976

Cardiovascular effects of black tea and nicotine alone or in combination against experimental induced heart injury.

PubMed

Joukar, Siyavash; Bashiri, Hamideh; Dabiri, Shahriar; Ghotbi, Payam; Sarveazad, Arash; Divsalar, Kouros; Joukar, Farzin; Abbaszadeh, Mahsa

2012-06-01

The present study was designed to elucidate the outcome of subchronic co-administration of black tea and nicotine on cardiovascular performance and whether these substances could modulate the isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury. Animal groups were control, black tea, nicotine and black tea plus nicotine. Test groups received nicotine (2 mg/kg s.c.) and black tea brewed (p.o.) each alone and in combination for 4 weeks. On the 28th day, myocardial damage was induced by isoproterenol (50 mg/kg i.p.), and blood samples were taken. On day 29, after hemodynamic parameters recording, hearts were removed for histopathological evaluation. Tea or nicotine consumption had no significant effects on hemodynamic indices of animals without heart damage. When the cardiac injury was induced, tea consumption maintained the maximum dp/dt, and nicotine significantly decreased the pressure-rate product. Moreover, severity of heart lesions was lower in the presence of nicotine or black tea. Concomitant use of these materials did not show extra effects on mentioned parameters more than the effect of each of them alone. The results suggest that subchronic administration of black tea or nicotine for a period of 4 weeks may have a mild cardioprotective effect, while concomitant use of these materials cannot intensify this beneficial effect.

Tea-induced calmness: Sugar-sweetened tea calms consumers exposed to acute stressor.

PubMed

Samant, Shilpa S; Wilkes, Katherine; Odek, Zephania; Seo, Han-Seok

2016-11-16

The food and beverage industry has been increasingly replacing sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners in their sweetened products to control or reduce total calories. Research comparing the effect of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners on emotional state of participants exposed to acute stressors is still limited. This study aimed to determine the effect of drinking tea sweetened with either a nutritive sweetener (sugar) or a non-nutritive sweetener (sucralose or stevia) on emotional state, in terms of calmness and pleasantness, of participants exposed to an acute stressor. Effects of acute stress on sweetness intensity and overall liking of tea beverages were also determined. Results showed that the possibility of tea-induced calmness, calculated as the difference between calmness ratings after and before drinking a tea sample, was established on stress session in the sugar-sweetened tea. Overall liking, but not the sweetness intensity, of the sugar-sweetened tea was affected by acute stress. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that the consumption of tea sweetened with nutritive sweetener, but not with non-nutritive sweetener, has calming effect on consumers with acute stress, suggesting that this effect may not be due to the sweet taste of sugar, but due to the caloric nature of the sweetener.

Detection of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholerae in tap water and bottled drinking water in Isfahan, Iran.

PubMed

Momtaz, Hassan; Dehkordi, Farhad Safarpoor; Rahimi, Ebrahim; Asgarifar, Amin

2013-06-07

The quality of drinking water has an important role in human infection and disease. This study was aimed at comparing polymerase chain reaction and culture in detecting Escherichia coli, Salmonella species and Vibrio cholera in tape water and bottled drinking water in various seasons in Isfahan province, Iran. A total of 448 water samples from tap water and bottled mineral water were taken over 6 months, from July 2010 to December 2010, and after filtration, samples were examined by culture and polymerase chain reaction methods for detection of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholerae. The culture method showed that 34 (7.58%), 4 (0.89%) and 3 (0.66%) of all 448 water samples were positive for Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholera, respectively. The uidA gene from Escherichia coli, IpaB gene from Salmonella species, and epsM gene from Vibrio cholera were detected in 38 (26.38%), 5 (3.47%), and 3 (2.08%) of 144 tap-water samples, respectively. Escherichia coli was detected in 8 (2.63%) of 304 samples of bottled drinking water from 5 companies. The water of southern part of Isfahan and company 5 had the highest prevalence of bacteria. The Escherichia coli water contamination was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the hot seasons (July-August) than cold (November-December) seasons and in company 5 than other companies. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) for the prevalence of bacteria between the tap waters of southern part and tap waters of central part of Isfahan. This study showed that the polymerase chain reaction assays can be an extremely accurate, fast, safe, sensitive and specific approach to monitor drinking water quality from purification facilities and bottled water companies. Also, our study confirmed the presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholerae as water-borne pathogens in tap water and bottled drinking water of Isfahan, Iran. The present study showed the important public health problem in Isfahan, Iran.

Detection of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholerae in tap water and bottled drinking water in Isfahan, Iran

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The quality of drinking water has an important role in human infection and disease. This study was aimed at comparing polymerase chain reaction and culture in detecting Escherichia coli, Salmonella species and Vibrio cholera in tape water and bottled drinking water in various seasons in Isfahan province, Iran. Methods A total of 448 water samples from tap water and bottled mineral water were taken over 6 months, from July 2010 to December 2010, and after filtration, samples were examined by culture and polymerase chain reaction methods for detection of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholerae. Results The culture method showed that 34 (7.58%), 4 (0.89%) and 3 (0.66%) of all 448 water samples were positive for Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholera, respectively. The uidA gene from Escherichia coli, IpaB gene from Salmonella species, and epsM gene from Vibrio cholera were detected in 38 (26.38%), 5 (3.47%), and 3 (2.08%) of 144 tap-water samples, respectively. Escherichia coli was detected in 8 (2.63%) of 304 samples of bottled drinking water from 5 companies. The water of southern part of Isfahan and company 5 had the highest prevalence of bacteria. The Escherichia coli water contamination was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the hot seasons (July-August) than cold (November-December) seasons and in company 5 than other companies. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) for the prevalence of bacteria between the tap waters of southern part and tap waters of central part of Isfahan. Conclusions This study showed that the polymerase chain reaction assays can be an extremely accurate, fast, safe, sensitive and specific approach to monitor drinking water quality from purification facilities and bottled water companies. Also, our study confirmed the presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, and Vibrio cholerae as water-borne pathogens in tap water and bottled drinking water of Isfahan, Iran. The present study showed the important public health problem in Isfahan, Iran. PMID:23742181

Determination of neonicotinoid pesticides residues in agricultural samples by solid-phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Xie, Wen; Han, Chao; Qian, Yan; Ding, Huiying; Chen, Xiaomei; Xi, Junyang

2011-07-15

This work reports a new sensitive multi-residue liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for detection, confirmation and quantification of six neonicotinoid pesticides (dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, clothiandin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid and thiacloprid) in agricultural samples (chestnut, shallot, ginger and tea). Activated carbon and HLB solid-phase extraction cartridges were used for cleaning up the extracts. Analysis is performed by LC-MS/MS operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, acquiring two specific precursor-product ion transitions per target compound. Quantification was carried by the internal standard method with D(4)-labeled imidacloprid. The method showed excellent linearity (R(2)≥0.9991) and precision (relative standard deviation, RSD≤8.6%) for all compounds. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.01 mg kg(-1) for chestnut, shallot, ginger sample and 0.02 mg kg(-1) for tea sample. The average recoveries, measured at three concentrations levels (0.01 mg kg(-1), 0.02 mg kg(-1) and 0.1 mg kg(-1) for chestnut, shallot, ginger sample, 0.02 mg kg(-1), 0.04 mg kg(-1) and 0.2 mg kg(-1) for tea sample), were in the range 82.1-108.5%. The method was satisfactorily validated for the analysis of 150 agricultural samples (chestnut, shallot, ginger and tea). Imidacloprid and acetamiprid were detected at concentration levels ranging from 0.05 to 3.6 mg kg(-1). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA barcode and identification of the varieties and provenances of Taiwan's domestic and imported made teas using ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 sequences.

PubMed

Lee, Shih-Chieh; Wang, Chia-Hsiang; Yen, Cheng-En; Chang, Chieh

2017-04-01

The major aim of made tea identification is to identify the variety and provenance of the tea plant. The present experiment used 113 tea plants [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] housed at the Tea Research and Extension Substation, from which 113 internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fragments, 104 trnL intron, and 98 trnL-trnF intergenic sequence region DNA sequences were successfully sequenced. The similarity of the ITS2 nucleotide sequences between tea plants housed at the Tea Research and Extension Substation was 0.379-0.994. In this polymerase chain reaction-amplified noncoding region, no varieties possessed identical sequences. Compared with the trnL intron and trnL-trnF intergenic sequence fragments of chloroplast cpDNA, the proportion of ITS2 nucleotide sequence variation was large and is more suitable for establishing a DNA barcode database to identify tea plant varieties. After establishing the database, 30 imported teas and 35 domestic made teas were used in this model system to explore the feasibility of using ITS2 sequences to identify the varieties and provenances of made teas. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using ITS2 sequences with the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean, which indicated that the same variety of tea plant is likely to be successfully categorized into one cluster, but contamination from other tea plants was also detected. This result provides molecular evidence that the similarity between important tea varieties in Taiwan remains high. We suggest a direct, wide collection of made tea and original samples of tea plants to establish an ITS2 sequence molecular barcode identification database to identify the varieties and provenances of tea plants. The DNA barcode comparison method can satisfy the need for a rapid, low-cost, frontline differentiation of the large amount of made teas from Taiwan and abroad, and can provide molecular evidence of their varieties and provenances. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assessing bottled water nitrate concentrations to evaluate total drinking water nitrate exposure and risk of birth defects.

PubMed

Weyer, Peter J; Brender, Jean D; Romitti, Paul A; Kantamneni, Jiji R; Crawford, David; Sharkey, Joseph R; Shinde, Mayura; Horel, Scott A; Vuong, Ann M; Langlois, Peter H

2014-12-01

Previous epidemiologic studies of maternal exposure to drinking water nitrate did not account for bottled water consumption. The objective of this National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) (USA) analysis was to assess the impact of bottled water use on the relation between maternal exposure to drinking water nitrate and selected birth defects in infants born during 1997-2005. Prenatal residences of 1,410 mothers reporting exclusive bottled water use were geocoded and mapped; 326 bottled water samples were collected and analyzed using Environmental Protection Agency Method 300.0. Median bottled water nitrate concentrations were assigned by community; mothers' overall intake of nitrate in mg/day from drinking water was calculated. Odds ratios for neural tube defects, limb deficiencies, oral cleft defects, and heart defects were estimated using mixed-effects models for logistic regression. Odds ratios (95% CIs) for the highest exposure group in offspring of mothers reporting exclusive use of bottled water were: neural tube defects [1.42 (0.51, 3.99)], limb deficiencies [1.86 (0.51, 6.80)], oral clefts [1.43 (0.61, 3.31)], and heart defects [2.13, (0.87, 5.17)]. Bottled water nitrate had no appreciable impact on risk for birth defects in the NBDPS.

Effect of containers on the quality of Chemlali olive oil during storage.

PubMed

Gargouri, Boutheina; Zribi, Akram; Bouaziz, Mohamed

2015-04-01

This study is undertaken to determine the storage stability of Chemlali extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) in different containers such as clear and dark glass bottles, polyethylene (PE) and tin containers. The different oil samples were stored under light at room temperature. Quality parameters monitored during a 6-month-storage period included: acidity, peroxide value (PV), spectrophotometric indices (K232 and K270), chlorophyll and carotene pigments, fatty acids and sterol compositions, total phenols, Rancimat induction time as well as sensory evaluation. Tin containers and dark glass bottles recorded the lowest oxidation values. In addition, oil packed in tin containers and dark glass bottles showed better physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics than that stored in clear glass bottles and PE containers. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the antioxidant contents (carotenes, chlorophylls and total phenols) was observed in the oil stored in the clear glass bottles and PE containers. Such results proved that the storage of oil in tin containers and dark glass bottles appeared most adequate, and showed a gradual loss of quality during storage, especially in PE containers and clear glass bottles. This study has shown that the best packaging materials for the commercial packing of Chemlali extra-virgin olive oil are tin containers and dark glass bottles.

Assessing bottled water nitrate concentrations to evaluate total drinking water nitrate exposure and risk of birth defects

PubMed Central

Weyer, Peter J.; Brender, Jean D.; Romitti, Paul A.; Kantamneni, Jiji R.; Crawford, David; Sharkey, Joseph R.; Shinde, Mayura; Horel, Scott A.; Vuong, Ann M.; Langlois, Peter H.

2016-01-01

Previous epidemiologic studies of maternal exposure to drinking water nitrate did not account for bottled water consumption. The objective of this National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) (USA) analysis was to assess the impact of bottled water use on the relation between maternal exposure to drinking water nitrate and selected birth defects in infants born during 1997–2005. Prenatal residences of 1,410 mothers reporting exclusive bottled water use were geocoded and mapped; 326 bottled water samples were collected and analyzed using Environmental Protection Agency Method 300.0. Median bottled water nitrate concentrations were assigned by community; mothers’ overall intake of nitrate in mg/day from drinking water was calculated. Odds ratios for neural tube defects, limb deficiencies, oral cleft defects, and heart defects were estimated using mixed-effects models for logistic regression. Odds ratios (95% CIs) for the highest exposure group in offspring of mothers reporting exclusive use of bottled water were: neural tube defects [1.42 (0.51, 3.99)], limb deficiencies [1.86 (0.51, 6.80)], oral clefts [1.43 (0.61, 3.31)], and heart defects [2.13, (0.87, 5.17)]. Bottled water nitrate had no appreciable impact on risk for birth defects in the NBDPS. PMID:25473985

Prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among tea garden and general population in Dibrugarh, Assam, India.

PubMed

Mahanta, Tulika G; Joshi, Rajnish; Mahanta, Bhupendra N; Xavier, Denis

2013-09-01

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are multifactorial. Previous research has reported a high prevalence of CVD risk factors in tea-garden workers. This study was conducted to assess prevalence and level of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors among tea-garden and general population in Dibrugarh, Assam. A community-based cross-sectional study using the World Health Organization's (WHO) Stepwise methodology was conducted in Dibrugarh District of Assam. A multistep random sampling was done to include adults aged 35 years and above, with an intended equal sampling from tea-garden and general population. INTERHEART modifiable non-laboratory based risk score was estimated. Salt consumption was estimated using questionnaire-based methods in both subgroups. A total of 2826 individuals participated in the study (1231 [43.6%] tea-garden workers; 1595 [56.4%] general population). Tobacco consumption was higher in tea-garden workers as compared with general population (85.2% vs. 41.7% (p < 0.0001). Mean daily per-capita salt consumption was also significantly higher among tea-garden workers (29.60 vs. 22.89 g, p = 0.0001). Overall prevalence of hypertension was similar (44.4% vs. 45.2%), but among those who had hypertension, prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was higher in tea-garden workers (82.8% vs. 74.4%, p < 0.0001). Tea-garden workers had lower BMI, were more physically active, and had a lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. Their INTERHEART modifiable risk score was also lower (1.44 [2.5] vs. 1.79 [2.8], p = 0.001). High prevalence of modifiable risk factors like tobacco consumption, high salt intake and high prevalence of hypertension indicates the need for early implementation of preventive actions in this population. Copyright © 2013 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Content of Selected Minerals and Active Ingredients in Teas Containing Yerba Mate and Rooibos.

PubMed

Rusinek-Prystupa, Elżbieta; Marzec, Zbigniew; Sembratowicz, Iwona; Samolińska, Wioletta; Kiczorowska, Bożena; Kwiecień, Małgorzata

2016-07-01

The study aimed to determine the content of selected elements: sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese and active ingredients such as phenolic acids and tannins in teas containing Yerba Mate and Rooibos cultivated in various areas. The study material comprised six samples of Yerba Mate teas and of Rooibos teas, both tea bags and leaves, purchased in Puławy and online via Allegro. In total, 24 samples were tested. Yerba Mate was particularly abundant in Mn and Fe. The richest source of these elements was Yerba Mate Yer-Vita (2261.3 mg · kg(-1) d.m.) and (691.6 mg · kg(-1) d.m.). The highest content of zinc was determined in Yerba Mate Amanda with lime (106.0 mg · kg(-1) d.m.), while copper was most abundant in Yerba Mate Big-Active cocoa and vanilla (14.05 mg · kg(-1) d.m.). In Rooibos, the content of sodium was several times higher than in Yerba Mate. A clear difference was observed in the content of minerals in dry weight of the examined products, which could be a result of both the taxonomic distinctness and the origin of the raw material. Leaf teas turned out to be a better source of tannins; on the other hand, tea bags contained substantially more phenolic acids. The richest source of phenolic acids was Yer-Vita in bags (1.8 %), and the highest amount of tannins was recorded in the leaf tea Green Goucho caramel and dark chocolate (9.04 g · 100 g(-1) d.m.). In Rooibos products, the highest content of phenolic acids was recorded in tea bags (Savannah with honey and vanilla 0.96 %), and tannins in (Lord Nelson with strawberry and cream 7.99 g · 100 g (-1) d.m.).

Xerophilic aflatoxigenic black tea fungi and their inhibition by Elettaria cardamomum and Syzygium aromaticum extracts

PubMed Central

Al-Sohaibani, Saleh; Murugan, K.; Lakshimi, G.; Anandraj, K.

2011-01-01

Black tea is consumed worldwide and is believed to play a role in cancer prevention. Xerophilic aflatoxigenic fungi are highly hazardous contaminants of tea since they are associated with tea quality impairment and human health risk. The present study reports isolation of such xerophilic and aflatoxigenic fungi associated with marketed tea. Twenty different tea samples collected from the local markets of Tamilnadu, India were investigated for fungal contamination. The results indicated contamination by 0.38% Aspergillus flavus. Other common contaminant fungi including Penicillium spp. (0.30%), Pacelomyces spp. (0.14%), and Mucor spp. (0.19%) were also isolated. Amongst the fungi isolated Aspergillus niger ML01 and A. flavus ML02 were found to be xerophilic aflatoxigenic mycoflora. Phylogenetic analysis based on 28S rRNA revealed their close ancestry. The chloroform and acetone extracts of spices Elettaria cardamomum and Syzygium aromaticum exhibited antifungal inhibitory activity on growth and toxin elaboration of both these xerophilic tea contaminants A. niger ML01 and A. flavus ML02. The results advocate the use of these spices plant or their extracts as novel antimicrobials which may add preservation and flavour in marketed tea. PMID:23961151

Determination of some selected secondary metabolites and their invitro antioxidant activity in commercially available Ethiopian tea (Camellia sinensis).

PubMed

Bizuayehu, Dereje; Atlabachew, Minaleshewa; Ali, Mirtachew Tihar

2016-01-01

Eight brands of tea (Camellia sinensis),which are cultivated and commercially available in Ethiopian market, were analyzed for estimation of their total secondary metabolites (polyphenols, flavonoids and tannins) content and free radical scavenging activity which is expressed on dry weight basis. In this present study, the total polyphenols, tannin and flavonoid contents were studied spectrophotometrically using Folin-Dennis, Folin-Dennis/protein precipitation and aluminium chloride methods respectively. The free radical scavenging activity was determined by using DPPH radical assay. Results of the analysis revealed that the total polyphenol content varied from 21.3 ± 0.24 to 31.6 ± 0.31 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g of dry matter. Total flavonoids content in the tea samples varied from 8.17 ± 0.68 to 23.2 ± 0.68 mg of catechin equivalent/g of dry weight and tannin content varied from 5.64 ± 0.39 7.45 ± 0.27 mg tannic acid equivalent/g of dry weight basis. The free radical scavenging activity among the tea brand samples ranged from 28.8 ± 1.86 to 80.0 ± 0.63 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50%) values varied from 7.3 ± 1.35 to 64.0 ± 2.81 µg/mL of extract. The correlation between the antioxidant activity with total polyphenol content (R = 0.91325), with flavonoids (R = 0.80658) and with tannin (R = 0.73125) was calculated and maximum correlation value was found between polyphenol content and the free radical scavenging activity of the tea samples. The results in this study also revealed that green tea had the higher polyphenolic content and found to have the most promising antioxidant activity. This study further confirmed that Ethiopia tea is reach in phenolic compounds as compared to some overseas tea cultivars/varieties.

Estimation of fluoride concentration in drinking water and common beverages in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

PubMed

Walia, Tarun; Abu Fanas, Salem; Akbar, Madiha; Eddin, Jamal; Adnan, Mohamad

2017-07-01

To assess fluoride concentration in drinking water which include tap water of 4 emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman plus bottled water, commonly available soft drinks & juices in United Arab Emirates. Five different samples of tap water collected from each of the four emirates of UAE: Ajman, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai; twenty-two brands of bottled water and fifteen brands of popular cold beverages, purchased from different supermarkets in U.A.E were tested using ion selective electrode method and the fluoride concentration was determined. The mean fluoride content of tap water samples was 0.14 mg F/L with a range of 0.04-0.3 mg F/L; with Ajman tap water samples showing the highest mean fluoride content of 0.3 mg F/L. The mean fluoride content for both bottled drinking water and beverages was 0.07 mg F/L with a range of 0.02-0.50 mg F/L and 0.04-0.1 mg F/L respectively. Majority (68.2%) of the bottled water are produced locally within U.A.E while a few (31.8%) are imported. The tap water, bottled water and beverages available in U.A.E show varying concentrations of fluoride, however none showed the optimal level necessary to prevent dental caries. Dental professionals in U.A.E should be aware of the fluoride concentrations before prescribing fluoride supplements to children.

PLE in the analysis of plant compounds. Part I. The application of PLE for HPLC analysis of caffeine in green tea leaves.

PubMed

Dawidowicz, Andrzej L; Wianowska, Dorota

2005-04-29

A broad spectrum of sample preparation methods is currently used for the isolation of pharmacologically active compounds from plant and herbal materials. The paper compares the effectiveness of infusion, microwave assisted solvent extraction (MASE), matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) as sample preparation methods for the isolation of caffeine from green tea leaves. The effect of PLE variables, such as extraction temperature, pressure and time, on the yield of caffeine from the investigated matrix is discussed. The obtained results revealed that PLE, in comparison with other sample preparation methods applied, has significantly lower efficacy for caffeine isolation from green tea leaves. The evaluation of PLE conditions leads to the conclusion that elevated pressure applied in the PLE process is the factor hindering the extraction.

High-dimensional nested analysis of variance to assess the effect of production season, quality grade and steam pasteurization on the phenolic composition of fermented rooibos herbal tea.

PubMed

Stanimirova, I; Kazura, M; de Beer, D; Joubert, E; Schulze, A E; Beelders, T; de Villiers, A; Walczak, B

2013-10-15

A nested analysis of variance combined with simultaneous component analysis, ASCA, was proposed to model high-dimensional chromatographic data. The data were obtained from an experiment designed to investigate the effect of production season, quality grade and post-production processing (steam pasteurization) on the phenolic content of the infusion of the popular herbal tea, rooibos, at 'cup-of-tea' strength. Specifically, a four-way analysis of variance where the experimental design involves nesting in two of the three crossed factors was considered. For the purpose of the study, batches of fermented rooibos plant material were sampled from each of four quality grades during three production seasons (2009, 2010 and 2011) and a sub-sample of each batch was steam-pasteurized. The phenolic content of each rooibos infusion was characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection (DAD). In contrast to previous studies, the complete HPLC-DAD signals were used in the chemometric analysis in order to take into account the entire phenolic profile. All factors had a significant effect on the phenolic content of a 'cup-of-tea' strength rooibos infusion. In particular, infusions prepared from the grade A (highest quality) samples contained a higher content of almost all phenolic compounds than the lower quality plant material. The variations of the content of isoorientin and orientin in the different quality grade infusions over production seasons are larger than the variations in the content of aspalathin and quercetin-3-O-robinobioside. Ferulic acid can be used as an indicator of the quality of rooibos tea as its content generally decreases with increasing tea quality. Steam pasteurization decreased the content of the majority of phenolic compounds in a 'cup-of-tea' strength rooibos infusion. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a new generation of plastic culture bottles with an automated microbial detection system for nine common contaminating organisms found in PLT components.

PubMed

Brecher, M E; Hay, S N; Rothenberg, S J

2004-03-01

A microbial detection system (BacT/ALERT 3D, bioMérieux [formerly Organon Teknika]) has previously been validated with a variety of bacterial contaminants in PLTs. The recovery of nine organisms seeded into PLTs with new plastic culture bottles was studied in comparison to the current glass bottles. The use of plastic instead of glass would be expected to reduce the risk of injury. Isolates of Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Serratia marcescens, Streptococcus viridans, and Propionibacterium acnes were inoculated into Day 2 (>24 hr <48 hr) apheresis PLT units to 10 and 100 CFUs per mL. Replicate samples (4 mL) were inoculated into both current- and new-generation standard aerobic and anaerobic bottles. All organisms (with the exception of P. acnes) were detected in a mean time of 9.3 to 18.9 hours (10 CFUs/mL) or 8.7 to 18.2 hours (100 CFUs/mL). In aggregate (with the exception of P. acnes), the plastic and glass aerobic bottles had a mean difference in detection of 1.2 hours (p < 0.0001), and the plastic and glass anaerobic bottles had a mean difference of 3.3 hours (p < 0.0001). In all cases, the mean detection time was superior or clinically comparable (within 0.1 hr) with the new plastic bottles. P. acnes (an anaerobic organism) was detected with the new and current anaerobic bottles in a mean of 72.8 and 90.4 hours (10 CFUs/mL) or 64.0 and 80.8 hours (100 CFUs/mL), respectively. The narrower bottle neck and smaller inoculation septum present with the new-generation plastic bottles were inoculated with comparable ease to that of the glass bottles. These data demonstrate that the new plastic bottles are clinically comparable or superior to the current glass standard aerobic and anaerobic culture bottles.

Determination of Pyrethroids in Tea Brew by GC-MS Combined with SPME with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Coated Fiber.

PubMed

Ren, Dongxia; Sun, Chengjun; Ma, Guanqun; Yang, Danni; Zhou, Chen; Xie, Jiayu; Li, Yongxin

2018-01-01

A new method has been developed to simultaneously determine 7 pyrethroid residues in tea brew using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with solid phase microextraction (SPME) with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) coated fiber. The MWCNTs coated fiber of SPME was homemade by using stainless steel wire as coating carrier and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution as adhesive glue. Under the optimized conditions, a good linearity was shown for bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, permethrin, and cyfluthrin in 1-50 ng mL -1 and for cypermethrin, fenvalerate, and deltamethrin in 5-50 ng mL -1 . The correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.9948-0.9999. The average recoveries of 7 pyrethroids were 94.2%-107.3% and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 15%. The detection limit of the method ranged from 0.12 to 1.65 ng mL -1 . The tea brew samples made from some commercial tea samples were analyzed. Among them, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, and permethrin were found. The results show that the method is rapid and sensitive and requires low organic reagent consumption, which can be well used for the detection of the pyrethroids in tea brew.

40 CFR 63.7733 - What procedures must I use to establish operating limits?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... combustion device applied to emissions from a scrap preheater or TEA cold box mold or core making line... and record the scrubbing liquid flow rate during each TEA sampling run in intervals of no more than 15...

Quality assessment of marketed chamomile tea products by a validated HPTLC method combined with multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Guzelmeric, Etil; Ristivojević, Petar; Vovk, Irena; Milojković-Opsenica, Dušanka; Yesilada, Erdem

2017-01-05

Chamomile tea composed of dried flower heads of Matricaria recutita L. (Asteraceae) is one of the most popular single ingredient herbal teas. Tea industries, spice shops or public bazaars are mostly supplied chamomile as a raw material via cultivation or through nature-picking. However, one of the drawbacks of nature-picking is adulteration. This could be either due to false authentication of the plant materials by ingenuous pickers or intentional/unintentional substitution with other flowers resembling to chamomile in appearance during harvesting. Therefore, quality control of raw chamomile materials before marketing should be carefully considered not only by quantification of apigenin 7-O-glucoside (active marker) but also by fingerprinting of chemical composition. This work presents both quantification of apigenin 7-O-glucoside and chemical fingerprinting of commercial chamomile tea products obtained from different food stores and spice shops by a validated HPTLC method. In addition, HPTLC profiles of investigated chamomile tea samples were compared with HPLC method stated in the European Pharmacopoeia and it was found that HPTLC method was superior to HPLC method in the field of adulteration confirmation. Therefore, fingerprint profiles performed on the silica gel 60 NH 2 F 254 s HPTLC plates combined with pattern recognition techniques of these marketed products were comparatively evaluated with wild and cultivar chamomile samples and also chamomile-like species from Asteraceae. Consequently, not chamomile tea bags but crude flowers sold on market were found to be adulterated with other plant materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Spectral Emission Characteristics of Laser Induced Plasma on Tea Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Peichao; Shi, Minjie; Wang, Jinmei; Liu, Hongdi

2015-08-01

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides a useful technique for food security as well as determining nutrition contents. In this paper, optical emission studies of laser induced plasma on commercial tea samples were carried out. The spectral intensities of Mg, Mn, Ca, Al, C and CN vibration bands varying with laser energy and the detection delay time of an intensified charge coupled device were studied. In addition, the relative concentrations of six microelements, i.e., Mg, Mn, Ca, Al, Na and K, were analyzed semi-quantitatively as well as H, for four kinds of tea samples. Moreover, the plasma parameters were explored, including electron temperature and electron number density. The electron temperature and electron number density were around 11000 K and 1017 cm-3, respectively. The results show that it is reasonable to consider the LIBS technique as a new method for analyzing the compositions of tea leaf samples. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61205149), the Scientific and Technological Talents Training Project of Chongqing, China (No. CSTC2013kjrc-qnrc40002), the Scientific and Technological Project of Nan'an District (2011) and the Visiting Scholarship of State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment & System Security and New Technology at Chongqing University, China (No. 2007DA10512714409)

Drinking water quality in six small tea gardens of Sonitpur District of Assam, India, with special reference to heavy metals.

PubMed

Dutta, Joydev; Chetia, Mridul; Misra, A K

2011-10-01

Contamination of drinking water by arsenic and other heavy metals and their related toxicology is a serious concern now-a-days. Millions of individual world-wide are suffering from the arsenic and other heavy metal related diseases due to the consumption of contaminated groundwater. 60 water samples from different sources of 6 small tea gardens of Sonitpur district were collected to study the potability of water for drinking purposes. The water samples collected from sources like tube wells, ring wells and ponds were analyzed for arsenic, heavy metals like iron, manganese and mercury with sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, pH, total hardness, chloride, fluoride and sulphate. Some drain water samples of the tea garden areas were also collected to analyze the above mentioned water parameters to see the contamination level. Experiments revealed that 78% samples of total collection had arsenic content above the permissible limit (0.01 ppm) of WHO guideline value for drinking water. The highest arsenic was observed 0.09 ppm at one sample of Gobindra Dahal tea garden of Gohpur sub division of Sonitpur district. 94% samples had contamination due to manganese 39% samples had iron and 44% samples had Hg. The water quality data was subjected to some statistical treatments like NDA, cluster analysis and pearson correlation to observe the distribution pattern of the different water quality parameters. A strong pearson correlation coefficient was observed between parameters-arsenic and manganese (0.865) and arsenic and mercury (0.837) at 0.01 level, indicated the same sources of drinking water contamination.

Screening of hormone-like activities in bottled waters available in Southern Spain using receptor-specific bioassays.

PubMed

Real, Macarena; Molina-Molina, José-Manuel; Jiménez-Díaz, Inmaculada; Arrebola, Juan Pedro; Sáenz, José-María; Fernández, Mariana F; Olea, Nicolás

2015-01-01

Bottled water consumption is a putative source of human exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Research has been conducted on the presence of chemicals with estrogen-like activity in bottled waters and on their estrogenicity, but few data are available on the presence of hormonal activities associated with other nuclear receptors (NRs). The aim of this study was to determine the presence of endocrine activities dependent on the activation of human estrogen receptor alpha (hERa) and/or androgen receptor (hAR) in water in glass or plastic bottles sold to consumers in Southern Spain. Hormone-like activities were evaluated in 29 bottled waters using receptor-specific bioassays based on reporter gene expression in PALM cells [(anti-)androgenicity] and cell proliferation assessment in MCF-7 cells [(anti-)estrogenicity] after optimized solid phase extraction (SPE). All of the water samples analyzed showed hormonal activity. This was estrogenic in 79.3% and anti-estrogenic in 37.9% of samples and was androgenic in 27.5% and anti-androgenic in 41.3%, with mean concentrations per liter of 0.113pM 17β-estradiol (E2) equivalent units (E2Eq), 11.01pM anti-estrogen (ICI 182780) equivalent units (ICI 182780Eq), 0.33pM methyltrienolone (R1881) equivalent units (R1881Eq), and 0.18nM procymidone equivalent units (ProcEq). Bottled water consumption contributes to EDC exposure. Hormone-like activities observed in waters from both plastic and glass bottles suggest that plastic packaging is not the sole source of contamination and that the source of the water and bottling process may play a role, among other factors. Further research is warranted on the cumulative effects of long-term exposure to low doses of EDCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trace elements and heavy metals in mineral and bottled drinking waters on the Iranian market.

PubMed

Hadiani, Mohammad Rasoul; Dezfooli-Manesh, Shirin; Shoeibi, Shahram; Ziarati, Parisa; Mousavi Khaneghah, Amin

2015-01-01

A survey of Iranian waters, sampled from 2010 to 2013, is presented. A total of 128 water samples from 42 different brands of bottled mineral and drinking water were collected and analysed for contamination levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). Determinations were performed using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer for Pb, Cd and Cu, a hydride vapour generation as well as an Arsenator digital kit (Wagtech WTD, Tyne and Wear, UK) for As and a direct mercury analyser for Hg. Arsenic concentration in six bottled gaseous mineral samples was higher than the related limit. Regardless of these, mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, As and Hg in all types of water samples were 4.50 ± 0.49, 1.08 ± 0.09, 16.11 ± 2.77, 5.80 ± 1.63 and 0.52 ± 0.03 µg L⁻¹, respectively. Values obtained for analysed heavy metals in all samples were permissible according to the limits of national and international standards.

Water Mass Bio-optical Properties in the Monterey Bay Region: Fluorescence-based Inference of Shifts in Phytoplankton Photophysiology

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-26

bottle rosette. Macronutrient and chlorophyll assays were performed using methods detailed in Pennington and Chavez [2000]. High Performance Liquid...S = 33.28) Niskin bottle sample contained 10.6 /<M nitrate. Other macronutrients (phosphate, silicilic acid) were detected and generally abundant

Investigation of targeted pyrrolizidine alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicines and selected herbal teas sourced in Ireland using LC-ESI-MS/MS.

PubMed

Griffin, Caroline T; Gosetto, Francesca; Danaher, Martin; Sabatini, Stefano; Furey, Ambrose

2014-01-01

Publications linking hepatotoxicity to the use of herbal preparations are escalating. Herbal teas, traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and dietary supplements have been shown to contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Acute PA toxicosis of the liver can result in sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome, also known as veno-occlusive disease (VOD). This paper describes a sensitive and robust method for the detection of targeted PAs and their N-oxides (PANOs) in herbal products (selected herbal teas and TCMs) sourced within Ireland. The sample preparation includes a simple acidic extraction with clean-up via solid-phase extraction (SPE). Sample extracts were accurately analysed by using LC-ESI-MS/MS applying for the first time a pentafluorophenyl (PFP) core-shell column to the chromatographic separation of PAs and PANOs. The method was validated for selectivity, taking into consideration matrix effects, specificity, linearity, precision and trueness. Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) were quantified for all PAs and PANOs ranging from 0.4 to 1.9 µg kg⁻¹ and from 1.3 to 6.3 µg kg⁻¹, respectively. In this study 10 PAs and four PANOs were targeted because they are commercially available as reference standards. Therefore, this study can only report the levels of these PAs and PANOs analysed in the herbal teas and TCMs. The results reported represent the minimum levels of PAs and PANOs present in the samples analysed; commercially available herbal teas (n = 18) and TCMs (n = 54). A total of 50% herbal teas and 78% Chinese medicines tested positive for one or more PAs and/or PANOs included within this study, ranging from 10 to 1733 and from 13 to 3668 µg kg⁻¹, respectively.

SOME ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SHELLED AND KERNEL TEA (Camellia sinensis) SEEDS.

PubMed

Altuntas, Ebubekir; Yildiz, Merve

2017-01-01

Camellia sinensis is the source of tea leaves and it is an economic crop now grown around the World. Tea seed oil has been used for cooking in China and other Asian countries for more than a thousand years. Tea is the most widely consumed beverages after water in the world. It is mainly produced in Asia, central Africa, and exported throughout the World. Some engineering properties (size dimensions, sphericity, volume, bulk and true densities, friction coefficient, colour characteristics and mechanical behaviour as rupture force of shelled and kernel tea ( Camellia sinensis ) seeds were determined in this study. This research was carried out for shelled and kernel tea seeds. The shelled tea seeds used in this study were obtained from East-Black Sea Tea Cooperative Institution in Rize city of Turkey. Shelled and kernel tea seeds were characterized as large and small sizes. The average geometric mean diameter and seed mass of the shelled tea seeds were 15.8 mm, 10.7 mm (large size); 1.47 g, 0.49 g (small size); while the average geometric mean diameter and seed mass of the kernel tea seeds were 11.8 mm, 8 mm for large size; 0.97 g, 0.31 g for small size, respectively. The sphericity, surface area and volume values were found to be higher in a larger size than small size for the shelled and kernel tea samples. The shelled tea seed's colour intensity (Chroma) were found between 59.31 and 64.22 for large size, while the kernel tea seed's chroma values were found between 56.04 68.34 for large size, respectively. The rupture force values of kernel tea seeds were higher than shelled tea seeds for the large size along X axis; whereas, the rupture force values of along X axis were higher than Y axis for large size of shelled tea seeds. The static coefficients of friction of shelled and kernel tea seeds for the large and small sizes higher values for rubber than the other friction surfaces. Some engineering properties, such as geometric mean diameter, sphericity, volume, bulk and true densities, the coefficient of friction, L*, a*, b* colour characteristics and rupture force of shelled and kernel tea ( Camellia sinensis ) seeds will serve to design the equipment used in postharvest treatments.

Simultaneous determination of free amino acids in Pu-erh tea and their changes during fermentation.

PubMed

Zhu, Yuchen; Luo, Yinghua; Wang, Pengpu; Zhao, Mengyao; Li, Lei; Hu, Xiaosong; Chen, Fang

2016-03-01

Pu-erh ripened tea is produced through a unique microbial fermentation process from the sun-dried leaves of large-leaf tea species (Camellia sinensis (Linn.) var. assamica (Masters) Kitamura) in Yunnan province of China. In this study, the changes of amino acid profiles during fermentation of Pu-erh tea were investigated, based on the improved HPLC-UV method with PITC pre-column derivatization for the simultaneous determination of twenty free amino acids. Results showed that aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, alanine, theanine and tyrosine were the major amino acids in tea samples. Fermentation significantly influenced on the amino acid profiles. The total free amino acid contents significantly decreased during fermentation (p<0.05). Meanwhile, low amount of acrylamide were detected. Its concentration increased after 7-days' fermentation and then decreased gradually. The results provided the useful information for the manipulation of fermentation process according to the changes of amino acids and acrylamide contents in Pu-erh ripened tea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Galloyl Catechins Contributing to Main Antioxidant Capacity of Tea Made from Camellia sinensis in China

PubMed Central

Zhao, Chunjian; Li, Chunying; Liu, Shuaihua; Yang, Lei

2014-01-01

Total polyphenol content, catechins content, and antioxidant capacities of green, dark, oolong, and black teas made from Camellia sinensis in China were evaluated. The total polyphenol content of 20 samples of tea was in the range of 7.82–32.36%. Total catechins content was in the range of 4.34–24.27%. The antioxidant capacity of tea extract was determined by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) test and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging test. Total polyphenol content, catechins content, and antioxidant capacity decreased in the following order: green > oolong > black > dark tea. A positive correlation existed between the antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol content or catechins content (R 2 = 0.67–0.87). The antioxidant capacities of five major catechins (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epicatechin, epigallocatechin, and catechin) were determined by online HPLC DPPH radical-scavenging; the antioxidant activity of tea was mainly attributed to the esterified catechins (EGCG or ECG). PMID:25243234

Controllable synthesis of magnetic Fe3O4 particles with different morphology by one-step hydrothermal route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhongtao; Du, Yi; Li, Zhongfu; Yang, Kai; Lv, Xingjie

2017-03-01

Well-defined Fe3O4 particles were successfully fabricated by a facile triethanolamine (TEA)-assisted method under mild hydrothermal conditions. Hydrated ferric salt was employed as the single iron precursor. TEA was used as the complexing agent and/or alkaline source. The crystalline phases of the as-obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the morphology as well as the compositions of the samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicated that the products were Fe3O4 crystal phase, and the morphology and powder size of the particles were varied with adding different amount of NaOAc and keeping the content of TEA unchanged. On the basis of these results, the possible formation mechanism of Fe3O4 was discussed. It was observed that TEA and NaOAc affected the growth rate of crystal planes and nucleation. Besides, the magnetic property tested by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) showed that the products exhibited a ferromagnetic behavior and possessed the excellent saturation magnetization (Ms) at room temperature.

Analyses of outcrop and sediment grains observed and collected from the Sirena Deep and Middle Pond of the Mariana Trench

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hand, K. P.; Bartlett, D. H.; Fryer, P.

2012-12-01

During a March 2012 expedition we recovered sediments from two locales within the Marina Trench - Middle Pond and Sirena Deep. Samples were recovered from a Niskin bottle deployed on a passive lander platform that released an arm after touching down on the seafloor. The impact of the arm holding the Niskin bottle caused sediments to enter the bottle; this process was seen in images and on video captured by the lander. The combination of imagery and preliminary analyses of the sediments indicates that the Sirena Deep locale is a region of serpentinization and active microbial communities. Images show several outcrops consistent with serpentinization, some of which are coated with filamentous microbial mats. Results and analyses of these samples will be presented.

The feasibility of TEA CO2 laser-induced plasma for spectrochemical analysis of geological samples in simulated Martian conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savovic, Jelena; Stoiljkovic, Milovan; Kuzmanovic, Miroslav; Momcilovic, Milos; Ciganovic, Jovan; Rankovic, Dragan; Zivkovic, Sanja; Trtica, Milan

2016-04-01

The present work studies the possibility of using pulsed Transversely Excited Atmospheric (TEA) carbon dioxide laser as an energy source for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis of rocks under simulated Martian atmospheric conditions. Irradiation of a basaltic rock sample with the laser intensity of 56 MW cm- 2, in carbon-dioxide gas at a pressure of 9 mbar, created target plasma with favorable conditions for excitation of all elements usually found in geological samples. Detection limits of minor constituents (Ba, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Sr, V, and Zr) were in the 3 ppm-30 ppm range depending on the element. The precision varied between 5% and 25% for concentration levels of 1% to 10 ppm, respectively. Generally, the proposed relatively simple TEA CO2 laser-LIBS system provides good sensitivity for geological studies under reduced CO2 pressure.

Conventional and Accelerated-Solvent Extractions of Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) for Metabolomics-based Chemometrics

PubMed Central

Kellogg, Joshua J.; Wallace, Emily D.; Graf, Tyler N.; Oberlies, Nicholas H.; Cech, Nadja B.

2018-01-01

Metabolomics has emerged as an important analytical technique for multiple applications. The value of information obtained from metabolomics analysis depends on the degree to which the entire metabolome is present and the reliability of sample treatment to ensure reproducibility across the study. The purpose of this study was to compare methods of preparing complex botanical extract samples prior to metabolomics profiling. Two extraction methodologies, accelerated solvent extraction and a conventional solvent maceration, were compared using commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (Theaceae)] products as a test case. The accelerated solvent protocol was first evaluated to ascertain critical factors influencing extraction using a D-optimal experimental design study. The accelerated solvent and conventional extraction methods yielded similar metabolite profiles for the green tea samples studied. The accelerated solvent extraction yielded higher total amounts of extracted catechins, was more reproducible, and required less active bench time to prepare the samples. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of accelerated solvent as an efficient methodology for metabolomics studies. PMID:28787673

Survivability of Vibrio cholerae O1 in Cooked Rice, Coffee, and Tea

PubMed Central

Tang, John Yew Huat; Izenty, Bariah Ibrahim; Nur' Izzati, Ahmad Juanda; Masran, Siti Rahmah; Yeo, Chew Chieng; Roslan, Arshad; Abu Bakar, Che Abdullah

2013-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the survival of Vibrio cholerae O1 in 3 types of preparation for cooked rice, Oryza sativa L., (plain rice, rice with coconut milk, and rice with ginger); coffee, Coffea canephora, (plain coffee, coffee with sugar, and coffee with sweetened condensed milk); and tea, Camellia sinensis, (plain tea, tea with sugar, and tea with sweetened condensed milk) held at room temperature (27°C). The survival of V. cholerae O1 was determined by spread plate method on TCBS agar. Initial cultures of 8.00 log CFU/mL were inoculated into each food sample. After 6 h incubation, significant growth was only detected in rice with coconut milk (9.67 log CFU/mL; P < 0.05). However, all 3 types of rice preparation showed significant growth of V. cholerae after 24 h (P < 0.05). For coffee and tea preparations, V. cholerae survived up to 6 h in tea with condensed milk (4.72 log CFU/mL) but not in similar preparation of coffee. This study showed evidence for the survivability of V. cholerae in rice, coffee, and tea. Thus, holding these food and beverages for an extended period of time at room temperature should be avoided. PMID:26904604

Boron and strontium isotope ratios and major/trace elements concentrations in tea leaves at four major tea growing gardens in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Cheng-Ta; You, Chen-Feng; Aggarwal, Suresh Kumar; Chung, Chuan-Hsiung; Chao, Hung-Chun; Liu, Hou-Chun

2016-06-01

Isotopic compositions of B and Sr in rocks and sediments can be used as tracers for plant provincial sources. This study aims to test whether tea leaf origin can be discriminated using (10)B/(11)B and Sr isotopic composition data, along with concentrations of major/trace elements, in tea specimens collected from major plantation gardens in Taiwan. The tea leaves were digested by microwave and analyzed by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS). The data showed significant variations in (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios (from 0.70482 to 0.71462), which reflect changes in soil, groundwater or irrigation conditions. The most radiogenic tea leaves were found at the Taitung garden and the least radiogenic ones were from the Hualien garden. The δ (11)B was found to change appreciably (δ (11)B = 0.38-23.73 ‰) which could be due to fertilizers. The maximum δ (11)B was also observed in tea samples from the Hualien garden. Principal component analysis combining (87)Sr/(86)Sr, δ (11)B and major/trace elements results successfully discriminated different sources of major tea gardens in Taiwan, except the Hualien gardens, and this may be due to rather complicated local geological settings.

Factors Affecting Transfer of Pyrethroid Residues from Herbal Teas to Infusion and Influence of Physicochemical Properties of Pesticides

PubMed Central

Xiao, Jin-Jing; Li, Yang; Fang, Qing-Kui; Shi, Yan-Hong; Liao, Min; Wu, Xiang-Wei; Hua, Ri-Mao

2017-01-01

The transfer of pesticide residues from herbal teas to their infusion is a subject of particular interest. In this study, a multi-residue analytical method for the determination of pyrethroids (fenpropathrin, beta-cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and fenvalerate) in honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, wolfberry, and licorice and their infusion samples was validated. The transfer of pyrethroid residues from tea to infusion was investigated at different water temperatures, tea/water ratios, and infusion intervals/times. The results show that low amounts (0–6.70%) of pyrethroids were transferred under the different tea brewing conditions examined, indicating that the infusion process reduced the pyrethroid content in the extracted liquid by over 90%. Similar results were obtained for the different tea varieties, and pesticides with high water solubility and low octanol–water partition coefficients (log Kow) exhibited high transfer rates. Moreover, the estimated values of the exposure risk to the pyrethroids were in the range of 0.0022–0.33, indicating that the daily intake of the four pyrethroid residues from herbal tea can be regarded as safe. The present results can support the identification of suitable tea brewing conditions for significantly reducing the pesticide residue levels in the infusion. PMID:28973970

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbal tea consumption, self-reported somatization, and alexithymia.

PubMed

Chio, Pit Hoi; Zaroff, Charles M

2015-06-01

Somatic presentations of distress are common cross-culturally, although perhaps more so in Asian cultures. Somatic presentations of distress may be associated with alexithymia, a difficulty in experiencing and expressing emotions. Although the constructs of somatization and alexithymia have been examined in depth both within and across cultures, there is minimal information on culture-specific behaviors utilized to cope with stress in individuals who tend to somaticize distress or are alexithymic. The current report investigates the association between somatization and alexithymia, and a culture-specific behavior of traditional Chinese medicinal herbal tea consumption, in a nonclinical, young adult sample. A sample of 222 undergraduate university students of Chinese ethnicity completed self-report measures of somatization and the related construct of somatosensory amplification, alexithymia, and attitude toward the consumption of herbal tea possessing traditional Chinese medicinal value. After controlling for gender, alexithymia was significantly correlated with somatization (r[220] = 0.29, P < 0.05) and somatosensory amplification (r[220] = 0.19, P < 0.05). Attitudes toward herbal tea consumption were significantly correlated with somatosensory amplification (r[220] = 0.16, P < 0.05). The connection between alexithymia and somatization was confirmed in the current report in a nonclinical sample. A culture-specific behavior (consumption of traditional Chinese medicinal herbal tea) was significantly associated with somatosensory amplification. Potential etiologies and implications of the current findings are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

[EFFECTS OF GREEN TEA ON THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF THE EXERCISE].

PubMed

Albert Pérez, Enrique José; Reig García-Galbis, Manuel

2015-10-01

assessing the magnitude of the effects of green tea in subjects that do exercise. a search was been carried out with key words "green tea" AND "exercise" in four documentary databases: Pubmed, EBSCOHOST, OvidSP and Proquest. adult age of the sample (18-65 years, based on WHO), and the consumption of a quantified amount of green tea or substitutes, along with doing physical exercise measurable in intensity, in clinical tests published between January 2010 and December 2014, whose source were indexed scientific journals. 260 articles were analyzed, of which 13 items were selected. 69% are studies with a designed workout, and 92% have included an exercise test to assess parameters. 77% fluctuate between 20-40 years and sample size between 9 and 36 subjects. 69% are long length. GTE has been the most used substitute (38%). 92% of studies have obtained some improvement and 92% of them, were significantly statistic. Interpretation of results: little homogeneity has been found in results in the analysis of results expression. Sample size is limited. There is a wide range of GTE substitutes and diversity of doses and exercise done. It cannot be possible to establish a dose, dosage and physical activity recommended. green tea gives us a wide variety of benefits in combination with physical exercise. There is a little evidence about quality. It cannot be possible to establish specific recommendations for obtaining benefits. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical properties and the concentration of anions, major and trace elements in groundwater, treated drinking water and bottled drinking water in Najran area, KSA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brima, Eid I.

2017-03-01

Basic information about major elements in bottled drinking water is provided on product labels. However, more information is needed about trace elements in bottled drinking water and other sources of drinking water to assess its quality and suitability for drinking. This is the first such study to be carried out in Najran city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A total of 48 water samples were collected from different sources comprising wells, stations for drinking water treatment and bottled drinking water (purchased from local supermarkets). The concentrations of 24 elements [aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), cesium (Cs), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molydenum (Mo), sodium (Na), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), uranium (U) and zinc (Zn)] were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Anions (chlorine (Cl-), fluoride (F-), sulfate (SO4 2-) and nitrate (NO3 -) were determined by ion chromatography (IC). Electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total dissolved salts (TDS) and total hardness (TH) were also measured. All parameters of treated drinking water and bottled drinking water samples did not exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) 2008, US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA 2009), Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GSO) 2008 and Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO) 1984 recommended guidelines. It is noteworthy that groundwater samples were not used for drinking purpose. This study is important to raise public knowledge about drinking water, and to promote public health.

A Determination of Air-Sea Gas Exchange and Upper Ocean Biological Production From Five Noble Gases and Tritiugenic Helium-3

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

limitations due to so-called "bottle effects" produced by confining production to a single bottle, eliminating grazers, trace metal contamination from the...1, b - 2/3) (Levich, 1962 ) or can be determined by modeling studies of characteristic bubble populations (a = 0.7, b = 0.35) (Keeling, 1993). In this...artifacts associated with the early sampling method. In addition, some of the samples with large supersaturations may have been contaminated with

An evaluation of the migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used for bottled drinking water.

PubMed

Chapa-Martínez, C A; Hinojosa-Reyes, L; Hernández-Ramírez, A; Ruiz-Ruiz, E; Maya-Treviño, L; Guzmán-Mar, J L

2016-09-15

The leaching of antimony (Sb) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottling material was assessed in twelve brands of bottled water purchased in Mexican supermarkets by atomic fluorescence spectrometry with a hydride generation system (HG-AFS). Dowex® 1X8-100 ion-exchange resin was used to preconcentrate trace amounts of Sb in water samples. Migration experiments from the PET bottle material were performed in water according to the following storage conditions: 1) temperature (25 and 75°C), 2) pH (3 and 7) and 3) exposure time (5 and 15days), using ultrapure water as a simulant for liquid foods. The test conditions were studied by a 2(3) factorial experimental design. The Sb concentration measured in the PET packaging materials varied between 73.0 and 111.3mg/kg. The Sb concentration (0.28-2.30μg/L) in all of the PET bottled drinking water samples examined at the initial stage of the study was below the maximum contaminant level of 5μg/L prescribed by European Union (EU) regulations. The parameters studied (pH, temperature, and storage time) significantly affected the release of Sb, with temperature having the highest positive significant effect within the studied experimental domain. The highest Sb concentration leached from PET containers was in water samples at pH7 stored at 75°C for a period of 5days. The extent of Sb leaching from the PET ingredients for different brands of drinking water can differ by as much as one order of magnitude in experiments conducted under the worst-case conditions. The chronic daily intake (CDI) caused by the release of Sb in one brand exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulated CDI value of 400ng/kg/day, with values of 514.3 and 566.2ng/kg/day for adults and children. Thus, the appropriate selection of the polymer used for the production of PET bottles seems to ensure low Sb levels in water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Online gas chromatography combustion/pyrolysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (HRGC-C/P-IRMS) of (+/-)-Dihydroactinidiolide from tea ( Camellia sinensis ) and rooibos tea ( Aspalathus linearis ).

PubMed

del Mar Caja, María; Preston, Christina; Menzel, Michael; Kempf, Michael; Schreier, Peter

2009-07-08

Online capillary gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry in both the combustion and the pyrolysis modes (HRGC-C/P-IRMS) was employed to perform authentication studies of the flavoring agent (+/-)-dihydroactinidiolide. Thus, the delta(13)C(V-PDB) and delta(2)H(V-SMOW) values of synthetic (ex synthetic beta-ionone and natural beta-carotene) as well as enzymatically (ex synthetic and natural beta-carotene) produced references were studied in comparison with those of the natural substance isolated from black (n = 17) and green teas (n = 6) ( Camellia sinensis ) as well as Rooibos tea ( Aspalathus linearis ) (n = 7). The isotope values determined for both the synthetic and enzymatically produced samples of (+/-)-dihydroactinidiolide reflected the influence of the origin of their educts. Hence, in cases when synthetic educts were used, the delta(13)C(V-PDB) and delta(2)H(V-SMOW) values ranged from -27.0 to -28.4 per thousand and from -28 to -169 per thousand, respectively, whereas the use of natural educts led to ranges from -30.3 to -31.6 per thousand and from -154 to -228 per thousand, respectively. As to the tea samples, delta(13)C(V-PDB) and delta(2)H(V-SMOW) values ranging from -29.0 to -34.1 per thousand and from -153 to -274 per thousand, respectively, were recorded for (+/-)-dihydroactinidiolide from black and green teas, whereas that from Rooibos tea showed (2)H/(1)H ratios ranging from -189 to -210 per thousand as well as slightly enriched values in the (13)C/(12)C ratios ranging from -24.4 to -27.1 per thousand.

[Revealing the chemical changes of tea cell wall induced by anthracnose with confocal Raman microscopy].

PubMed

Li, Xiao-li; Luo, Liu-bin; Hu, Xiao-qian; Lou, Bing-gan; He, Yong

2014-06-01

Healthy tea and tea infected by anthracnose were first studied by confocal Raman microscopy to illustrate chemical changes of cell wall in the present paper. Firstly, Raman spectra of both healthy and infected sample tissues were collected with spatial resolution at micron-level, and ultrastructure of healthy and infected tea cells was got from scanning electron microscope. These results showed that there were significant changes in Raman shift and Raman intensity between healthy and infected cell walls, indicating that great differences occurred in chemical compositions of cell walls between healthy and infected samples. In details, intensities at many Raman bands which were closely associated with cellulose, pectin, esters were reduced after infection, revealing that the content of chemical compounds such as cellulose, pectin, esters was decreased after infection. Subsequently, chemical imaging of both healthy and infected tea cell walls were realized based on Raman fingerprint spectra of cellulose and microscopic spatial structure. It was found that not only the content of cellulose was reduced greatly after infection, but also the ordered structure of cellulose was destroyed by anthracnose infection. Thus, confocal Raman microscopy was shown to be a powerful tool to detect the chemical changes in cell wall of tea caused by anthracnose without any chemical treatment or staining. This research firstly applied confocal Raman microscopy in phytopathology for the study of interactive relationship between host and pathogen, and it will also open a new way for intensive study of host-pathogen at cellular level.

Study on tea leaves extract as green corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdan, A. B.; Suryanto; Haider, F. I.

2018-01-01

Corrosion inhibitor from extraction of plant has been considered as the most preferable and most chosen technique to prevent corrosion of metal in acidic medium because of the environmental friendly factor. In this study, black tea leaves extraction was tested as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 0.1M of hydrochloric acid (HCl) with the absence and presence of corrosion inhibitor. The efficiency and effectiveness of black tea as corrosion inhibitor was tested by using corrosion weight loss measurement experiment was carried out with varies parameters which with different concentration of black tea extract solution. The extraction of black tea solution was done by using aqueous solvent method. The FT-IR result shows that black tea extract containing compounds such as catechin, caffeine and tannins that act as anti-corrosive reagents and responsible to enhance the effectiveness of black tea extract as corrosion inhibitor by forming the hydrophobic thin film through absorption process. As a result of weight loss measurement, it shows that loss in weight of mild steel reduces as the concentration of inhibitor increases. The surface analysis was done on the mild steel samples by using SEM.

Studies on aluminium leaching from cookware in tea and coffee and estimation of aluminium content in toothpaste, baking powder and paan masala.

PubMed

Rajwanshi, P; Singh, V; Gupta, M K; Kumari, V; Shrivastav, R; Ramanamurthy, M; Dass, S

1997-01-30

Studies were conducted in order to assess the level of aluminium (Al) in samples of Indian tea, coffee, toothpaste, paan masala (mouth freshener) and baking powder. Leaching of Al from cookware while preparing tea and coffee was also studied. Experiments were also conducted to study the sequential leaching of Al from cookware by preparing tea and coffee in the presence of standard size Al sheets (coupons). A small amount of Al was found to have leached from coupons during preparation of tea. Tea leaves, were found to be a rich source of Al and a maximum of 2.2% Al is extracted in tea infusions. Coffee powder on the other hand was not found to be a rich source of Al. Baking powder was found to be a rich source of Al and 1 kg of cake prepared with 1-3 teaspoon of baking powder may contain 2-12.7 mg of Al in each serving (25 g). Toothpaste also contains a significant quantity of Al, more so, when packed in Al tubes. Ingestion pattern of Al from these items by humans is also discussed.

Oxalate content of different drinkable dilutions of tea infusions after different brewing times.

PubMed

Lotfi Yagin, Neda; Mahdavi, Reza; Nikniaz, Zeinab

2012-01-01

The aims of this study were to determine the effect of different brewing times and diluting on oxalate content of loose-packed black teas consumed in Tabriz, Iran. The oxalate content of black teas after brewing for 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 minutes was measured in triplicate by enzymatic assay. In order to attain the most acceptable dilution of tea infusions, tea samples which were brewed for 15, 30 and 60 minutes were diluted two (120 ml), three (80 ml) and four (60 ml) times respectively. There was a stepwise increase in oxalate concentrations associated with increased brewing times (P< 0.001) with oxalate contents ranging from 4.4 mg/240 ml for the 5 min to 6.3 mg/240 ml for 60 min brewing times, respectively. There were significant differences between the mean oxalate content of different dilutions after brewing for 15, 30 and 60 minutes (P< 0.001). The oxalate content of Iranian consumed black tea after different brewing times and different dilution was below the recommended levels. Therefore, it seems that consumption of black tea several times per day would not pose significant health risk in kidney stone patients and susceptible individuals.

Oxalate Content of Different Drinkable Dilutions of Tea Infusions after Different Brewing Times

PubMed Central

Lotfi Yagin, Neda; Mahdavi, Reza; Nikniaz, Zeinab

2012-01-01

Background: The aims of this study were to determine the effect of different brewing times and diluting on oxalate content of loose-packed black teas consumed in Tabriz, Iran. Methods: The oxalate content of black teas after brewing for 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 minutes was measured in triplicate by enzymatic assay. In order to attain the most acceptable dilution of tea infusions, tea samples which were brewed for 15, 30 and 60 minutes were diluted two (120 ml), three (80 ml) and four (60 ml) times respectively. Results: There was a stepwise increase in oxalate concentrations associated with increased brewing times (P< 0.001) with oxalate contents ranging from 4.4 mg/240 ml for the 5 min to 6.3 mg/240 ml for 60 min brewing times, respectively. There were significant differences between the mean oxalate content of different dilutions after brewing for 15, 30 and 60 minutes (P< 0.001). Conclusion: The oxalate content of Iranian consumed black tea after different brewing times and different dilution was below the recommended levels. Therefore, it seems that consumption of black tea several times per day would not pose significant health risk in kidney stone patients and susceptible individuals. PMID:24688937

[Determination of catechins and caffeine in tea and tea beverages by high-performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Ling, Yun; Zhao, Yun-feng; Li, Zhi-jun; Zhang, Gong; Wu, Yongning

2005-03-01

A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed for the determination of total tea catechin and caffeine. The catechins needed to be determined are: (-)-catechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epicatechin gallate, (-)-gallocatechin, (-)-gallocatechin gallate, (-)-catechin gallate and caffeine. The catechins in the tea was extracted with water:ethanol (3:7) by sonication for 20 min. After the extraction solution was centrifuged, it was analyzed by HPLC. The column used was a CAPCELL PAK C18 MG (4.6mm I.D. x 150mm) and gradient elution at constant column temperature with 30 degrees C under UV detector with 210nm. Mobile phase A was 0.1% H3PO4 in water, mobile phase B was 0.1% H3PO4 in methanol with the flow rate 1ml/min. The results showed that the concentration of the catechins and caffeine and their peak areas achieved good linear relation, r > 0.999. The recoveries were between 61.7%-117.3%. RSD was below 10%. With this method, some tea samples were determined, the results were favorable. The method can be applied for determination of catechin and caffeine in tea and tea beverages.

Chiral analysis of theanine and catechin in characterization of green tea by cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Fiori, Jessica; Pasquini, Benedetta; Caprini, Claudia; Orlandini, Serena; Furlanetto, Sandra; Gotti, Roberto

2018-08-10

Monomeric catechins are important compounds in green tea accounting for potential bioactivity against a wide range of diseases. Besides catechins, l-Theanine (γ-glutamylethylamide), a characteristic amino acid in tea leaves, has become a further focus of the phytochemical research for the reported beneficial effects mainly on cognitive performance, emotional state and sleep quality. In the present study has been developed a CD-MEKC method based on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and Heptakis (2,6-di-O-methyl)-β-cyclodextrin for the separation of six major green tea catechins and enantiomers of theanine. The latter, because of the poor detectability was derivatized prior analysis by o-phthaldialdehyde in the presence of N-acetyl-l-cysteine which, under mild conditions (neutral pH, in two minutes) allowed two diastereomers isoindole derivatives to be obtained. The derivatization reaction was directly carried out on tea infusion and derivatized samples were analysed by CD-MEKC involving 65 mM SDS and 28 mM cyclodextrin in acidic buffer (pH 2.5). The separation of six major green tea catechins including enantioresolution of (±)-Catechin and d/l-Theanine was obtained in about 5 min allowing d-Theanine to be quantified at least at 0.5% m/m level with respect to l-Theanine. Since (-)-Catechin and d-Theanine can be considered as non-native enantiomers (distomers), their presence in real samples provides an indication of tea leaves treatments (thermal treatment, fermentation, etc.) and could represent an opportunity for grading tea. The obtained results were confirmed by a RP-HPLC approach; even though the chromatography was developed in achiral conditions, the derivatization approach applied to theanine (diastereomers formation), allowed for d/l-Theanine chiral analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of fermentation process in Pu-erh tea by tea-leaf extract.

PubMed

Hou, C W; Jeng, K C; Chen, Y S

2010-01-01

Pu-erh tea is known as a fermented tea and longer storage enhances its flavor and taste. Recently, Aspergillus, Blastobotrys, and Streptomyces are found to play important roles in nutritional enhancement of Pu-erh tea by fermentation. Since water and temperature affect the microbial growth, we therefore explored the factors that might enhance the Pu-erh tea fermentation. The results showed that the addition of fresh tea-leaf extract (TLE) enhanced the withered tea fermentation (at 37 degrees C, 80 to 85% RH) as compared with the water only. Contents of statin, GABA, gallic acid, DPPH scavenging and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were increased, whereas polyphenols and caffeine were decreased over 6 mo. TLE dose-dependently enhanced some of the qualities (that is, statin, PPO) of Pu-erh tea significantly as compared with the water only. The effect was related to the increase population of A. niger and A. carbonarius at 6 mo (from 7.6 +/- 1.2 x 10(1) and 3.2 +/- 1.3 x 10(1) to 3.1 +/- 1.2 x 10(6) and 2.4 +/- 1.1 x 10(5) colony forming units [CFU]/g, respectively). After drying process (90 degrees C, 30 min), the total microbial count from these samples returned to background level (3 +/- 0.5 x 10(2) CFU/g). None of ochratoxin and fumonisin, toxins from Aspergillus, was detected in the final products. The flavor and taste were also enhanced by treatment with TLE. The inoculation with S. cinereus Y11 with 2% TLE further enhanced these functional contents (about 2-fold increase of statin level) in the experimental Pu-erh tea. Therefore, this result may add a new process for Pu-erh tea manufacture.

The effect of different drinks on tooth color after home bleaching

PubMed Central

Karadas, Muhammet; Seven, Nilgun

2014-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the influence of coffee, tea, cola, and red wine staining on the color of teeth after home bleaching. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 samples were obtained from 45 sound maxillary central incisors. The home bleaching procedure was performed using 10% carbamide peroxide gel applied to the sample surface for a period of 6 h each day, for 14 days. After bleaching, baseline color measurements were taken, and the samples were immersed in four staining solutions (coffee, tea, cola, and red wine) or artificial saliva (n = 9). Following 15 min and 6 h of immersion on the first day and next day, respectively, the samples were washed with distilled water for 10 s. After 15 min, 6 h, 1 week, and 1 month immersions, the color values of each sample were remeasured and the color change values (∆E) were calculated. Color change analysis was performed using a spectrophotometer. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey's honestly significant difference test (P <0.05). Results: Of all the staining solutions, the lowest ∆E values were observed with coffee staining versus artificial saliva (control group), for all time intervals evaluated after whitening. Although no statistically differences were observed between the coffee and control group at all the time points evaluated, there were statistically significant differences between the red wine, cola, and tea solutions. Conclusion: Following tooth whitening, patients should avoid drinks that cause tooth staining, particularly red wine, tea and cola. PMID:24966778

Common tea formulations modulate in vitro digestive recovery of green tea catechins.

PubMed

Green, Rodney J; Murphy, Angus S; Schulz, Burkhard; Watkins, Bruce A; Ferruzzi, Mario G

2007-09-01

Epidemiological evidence suggests a role for tea catechins in reduction of chronic disease risk. However, stability of catechins under digestive conditions is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of common food additives on digestive recovery of tea catechins. Green tea water extracts were formulated in beverages providing 4.5, 18, 23, and 3.5 mg per 100 mL epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), and epicatechin-gallate (ECG), respectively. Common commercial beverage additives; citric acid (CA), BHT, EDTA, ascorbic acid (AA), milk (bovine, soy, and rice), and citrus juice (orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime) were formulated into finished tea beverages at incremental dosages. Samples were then subjected to in vitro digestion simulating gastric and small intestinal conditions with pre- and post-digestion catechin profiles assessed by HPLC. Catechin stability in green tea was poor with <20% total catechins remaining post-digestion. EGC and EGCG were most sensitive with less, not double equals 10% recovery. Teas formulated with 50% bovine, soy, and rice milk increased total catechin recovery significantly to 52, 55, and 69% respectively. Including 30 mg AA in 250 mL of tea beverage significantly (p<0.05) increased catechin recovery of EGC, EGCG, EC, and ECG to 74, 54, 82, and 45% respectively. Juice preparation resulted in the highest recovery of any formulation for EGC (81-98%), EGCG (56-76%), EC (86-95%), and ECG (30-55%). These data provide evidence that tea consumption practices and formulation factors likely impact catechin digestive recovery and may result in diverse physiological profiles.

Noninvasive analysis of the sputum transcriptome discriminates clinical phenotypes of asthma.

PubMed

Yan, Xiting; Chu, Jen-Hwa; Gomez, Jose; Koenigs, Maria; Holm, Carole; He, Xiaoxuan; Perez, Mario F; Zhao, Hongyu; Mane, Shrikant; Martinez, Fernando D; Ober, Carole; Nicolae, Dan L; Barnes, Kathleen C; London, Stephanie J; Gilliland, Frank; Weiss, Scott T; Raby, Benjamin A; Cohn, Lauren; Chupp, Geoffrey L

2015-05-15

The airway transcriptome includes genes that contribute to the pathophysiologic heterogeneity seen in individuals with asthma. We analyzed sputum gene expression for transcriptomic endotypes of asthma (TEA), gene signatures that discriminate phenotypes of disease. Gene expression in the sputum and blood of patients with asthma was measured using Affymetrix microarrays. Unsupervised clustering analysis based on pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes was used to identify TEA clusters. Logistic regression analysis of matched blood samples defined an expression profile in the circulation to determine the TEA cluster assignment in a cohort of children with asthma to replicate clinical phenotypes. Three TEA clusters were identified. TEA cluster 1 had the most subjects with a history of intubation (P = 0.05), a lower prebronchodilator FEV1 (P = 0.006), a higher bronchodilator response (P = 0.03), and higher exhaled nitric oxide levels (P = 0.04) compared with the other TEA clusters. TEA cluster 2, the smallest cluster, had the most subjects that were hospitalized for asthma (P = 0.04). TEA cluster 3, the largest cluster, had normal lung function, low exhaled nitric oxide levels, and lower inhaled steroid requirements. Evaluation of TEA clusters in children confirmed that TEA clusters 1 and 2 are associated with a history of intubation (P = 5.58 × 10(-6)) and hospitalization (P = 0.01), respectively. There are common patterns of gene expression in the sputum and blood of children and adults that are associated with near-fatal, severe, and milder asthma.

Noninvasive Analysis of the Sputum Transcriptome Discriminates Clinical Phenotypes of Asthma

PubMed Central

Yan, Xiting; Chu, Jen-Hwa; Gomez, Jose; Koenigs, Maria; Holm, Carole; He, Xiaoxuan; Perez, Mario F.; Zhao, Hongyu; Mane, Shrikant; Martinez, Fernando D.; Ober, Carole; Nicolae, Dan L.; Barnes, Kathleen C.; London, Stephanie J.; Gilliland, Frank; Weiss, Scott T.; Raby, Benjamin A.; Cohn, Lauren

2015-01-01

Rationale: The airway transcriptome includes genes that contribute to the pathophysiologic heterogeneity seen in individuals with asthma. Objectives: We analyzed sputum gene expression for transcriptomic endotypes of asthma (TEA), gene signatures that discriminate phenotypes of disease. Methods: Gene expression in the sputum and blood of patients with asthma was measured using Affymetrix microarrays. Unsupervised clustering analysis based on pathways from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes was used to identify TEA clusters. Logistic regression analysis of matched blood samples defined an expression profile in the circulation to determine the TEA cluster assignment in a cohort of children with asthma to replicate clinical phenotypes. Measurements and Main Results: Three TEA clusters were identified. TEA cluster 1 had the most subjects with a history of intubation (P = 0.05), a lower prebronchodilator FEV1 (P = 0.006), a higher bronchodilator response (P = 0.03), and higher exhaled nitric oxide levels (P = 0.04) compared with the other TEA clusters. TEA cluster 2, the smallest cluster, had the most subjects that were hospitalized for asthma (P = 0.04). TEA cluster 3, the largest cluster, had normal lung function, low exhaled nitric oxide levels, and lower inhaled steroid requirements. Evaluation of TEA clusters in children confirmed that TEA clusters 1 and 2 are associated with a history of intubation (P = 5.58 × 10−6) and hospitalization (P = 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: There are common patterns of gene expression in the sputum and blood of children and adults that are associated with near-fatal, severe, and milder asthma. PMID:25763605

Optimization of the Preparation Conditions of Yerba Mate tea Beverage to Maximize Chlorogenic Acids Extraction.

PubMed

da Silveira, Tayse Ferreira Ferreira; Meinhart, Adriana Dillenburg; de Souza, Thaís Cristina Lima; Cunha, Elenice Carla Emídio; de Moraes, Maria Rosa; Filho, José Teixeira; Godoy, Helena Teixeira

2017-06-01

The beverage obtained from the yerba mate tea, besides being the most consumed in Brazil, has high concentrations of chlorogenic acids. In this study, a central composite design was employed to establish the best infusion time, temperature and water volume to maximize the extraction of chlorogenic acids 5-caffeoylquinic (5CQ), 3.4-dicaffeoylquinic (3.4 DQ), 3.5-dicaffeoylquinic (3.5 DQ) and 4.5-dicaffeoylquinic (4.5 DQ), from the leaves and stems of yerba mate tea (beverage ready for consumption). Analyses were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography and the optimum conditions were obtained through the use of the desirability function of Derringer and Suich. The maximum chlorogenic acids content in the beverage was obtained when the infusion was prepared with 2 g of mate tea, in 300 mL of water at 95 °C, under infusion for 16 min. The optimal conditions were applied for the preparation of beverages from 15 commercial samples of yerba mate tea, and it was observed that the sum of the concentration of the four compounds showed variation of up to 79 times between the average of the samples, which can be attributed to climatic conditions of cultivation of the plant and/or of processing.

Application of effective wavelengths and BP neural network for the discrimination of varieties of instant milk tea powders using visible and near infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fei; He, Yong; Wang, Li

2007-11-01

In order to implement the fast discrimination of different milk tea powders with different internal qualities, visible and near infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy combined with effective wavelengths (EWs) and BP neural network (BPNN) was investigated as a new approach. Five brands of milk teas were obtained and 225 samples were selected randomly for the calibration set, while 75 samples for the validation set. The EWs were selected according to x-loading weights and regression coefficients by PLS analysis after some preprocessing. A total of 18 EWs (400, 401, 452, 453, 502, 503, 534, 535, 594, 595, 635, 636, 688, 689, 987, 988, 995 and 996 nm) were selected as the inputs of BPNN model. The performance was validated by the calibration and validation sets. The threshold error of prediction was set as +/-0.1 and an excellent precision and recognition ratio of 100% for calibration set and 98.7% for validation set were achieved. The prediction results indicated that the EWs reflected the main characteristics of milk tea of different brands based on Vis/NIR spectroscopy and BPNN model, and the EWs would be useful for the development of portable instrument to discriminate the variety and detect the adulteration of instant milk tea powders.

Evaluation of constant current alternating current iontophoresis for transdermal drug delivery.

PubMed

Yan, Guang; Li, S Kevin; Higuchi, William I

2005-12-10

Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that alternating current (AC) iontophoresis can significantly decrease skin electric resistance and enhance the transport of charged permeants across skin. Flux variability of neutral permeants during AC iontophoresis was also found to be less than that of conventional direct current (DC) iontophoresis. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate flux enhancement of constant current AC transdermal iontophoresis and compare the AC flux with that of constant current DC iontophoresis. Iontophoresis studies of AC amplitude of 1, 2, and 5 mA were conducted in side-by-side diffusion cells with donor solution of 0.015, 0.15, and 1.0 M tetraethylammonium (TEA) chloride and receiver solution of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) using human epidermal membrane (HEM). Conventional constant current DC iontophoresis of 0.2 mA was also performed under similar conditions. TEA and mannitol were the model permeants. The following are the major findings in the present study. The flux of TEA increased proportionally with the AC current for all three TEA chloride concentrations and at the AC frequency used in the present study. When the permeant and its counter ion were the only ionic species in the donor chamber, the fluxes during DC iontophoresis were weakly dependent of its donor concentration. The fluxes of TEA during constant current AC iontophoresis were moderately related to the donor concentration with the highest TEA flux observed under the 1.0 M TEA chloride condition although the relationship between flux and donor concentration was not linear. A trend of decreasing electroosmotic transport with increasing donor TEA chloride concentration was observed with significant sample-to-sample variability during DC iontophoresis. Mannitol permeability was also observed to decrease with increasing TEA chloride concentration in the donor under the AC conditions, but data variability under AC was significantly smaller than that under DC. The results in the present study indicate that constant current AC iontophoresis under conditions tolerable to human (2 and 5 mA) can provide predictable fluxes that were lower than but of comparable magnitude as those of conventional constant current DC iontophoresis (0.2 mA).

Effect of gamma radiation on antioxidant capacity of green tea, yerba mate, and chamomile tea as evaluated by different methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerolis, Luanai Grazieli Luquini; Lameiras, Fernando Soares; Krambrock, Klaus; Neves, Maria Jose.

2017-01-01

Tea is a traditional plant extract with important cultural ties. It is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Tea consumption has some health benefits including antioxidant stimulus. Gamma radiation is currently used to control of postharvest pathogens on tea herb. However, free radicals can be generated, which consumes antioxidant molecules. A positive relation was found between radiation doses used and free radicals generation in green tea (Camellia sinensis), yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), and chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of aqueous and methanol extracts of these herbs was determined by various methods to compare the effect of irradiation of herb on antioxidant capacity of the extracts. TAC was evaluated by measuring: total phenols (decreased with irradiation in mate and green teas), total flavonoids (stable in aqueous extracts and decreased with irradiation in methanol extract of mate and chamomile), Trolox equivalent or ABTS (unchanged under irradiation), DPPH* scavenging capacity (stable on aqueous extract but diminished in methanol extract after irradiation), β carotene/acid linoleic ability (stable with the exception of chamomile tea that increased after irradiation) and, capacity to chelate ferrous ions (unchanged with irradiation). In conclusion, gamma irradiation reduced the capacity of some antioxidants but preserved the capacity of others. This study showed that one isolated test does not suffice to perform this evaluation reliably, which is a reflection of the diversity and complexity of the effects of irradiation on antioxidant molecules present in different samples.

Bacterial contamination of the lacteal contents of feeding bottles in metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed Central

Morais, T. B.; Morais, M. B.; Sigulem, D. M.

1998-01-01

Reported are the results of a study in São Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the bacterial contamination of the lacteal contents of feeding bottles prepared in urban households of low (LSE) and high (HSE) socioeconomic groups, involving 100 and 32 mothers of infants, respectively. Samples of the lacteal contents of the feeding bottles were cultured and the medians (25th and 75th percentiles) of the counts (bacteria per ml) were significantly higher in the LSE group: mesophilic bacteria, 555,000 (17,250-4,350,000) in the LSE group and 1615 (20-500,000) in the HSE group; coliforms, 2400 (19-150,000) in the LSE group and 7 (0-7800) in the HSE group. Escherichia coli was isolated from 26% (26/100) of the samples from the LSE group and from 6% (2/32) of those from the HSE group (P = 0.03). In the HSE group, higher coliform counts were associated with foodhandlers other than the mother, lower levels of maternal education, the use of pasteurized milk, and the addition of ingredients other than milk. In the LSE group, feeding bottles prepared using tap water and those prepared for infants aged over 6 months had higher coliform counts. In general, the feeding bottles prepared in the households studied were heavily contaminated, especially in the LSE group. PMID:9648358

TEA controllable preparation of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) with excellent magnetic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Chengliang; Zhu, Dejie; Wu, Hanzhao; Li, Yao; Cheng, Lu; Hu, Kunhong

2016-06-01

A fast and controllable synthesis method for superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) was developed in Fe(III)-triethanolamine (TEA) solution. The phase structure, morphology and particle size of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the magnetic particles were pure Fe3O4 with mean sizes of approximately 10 nm. The used TEA has key effects on the formation of well dispersing Fe3O4 NPs. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) result indicated that the as-obtained Fe3O4 NPs exhibited superparamagnetic behavior and the saturation magnetization (Ms) was about 70 emu/g, which had potential applications in magnetic science and technology.

Design and performance of a vacuum-bottle solid-state calorimeter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bracken, D.S.; Biddle, R.; Cech, R.

1997-11-01

EG and G Mound Applied Technologies calorimetry personnel have developed a small, thermos-bottle solid-state calorimeter, which is now undergoing performance testing at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The thermos-bottle solid-state calorimeter is an evaluation prototype for characterizing the heat output of small heat standards and other homogeneous heat sources. The current maximum sample size is 3.5 in. long with a diameter of 0.8 in. The overall size of the thermos bottle and thermoelectric cooling device is 9.25 in. high by 3.75 in. diameter and less than 3 lb. Coupling this unit with compact electronics and a laptop computer makes this calorimetermore » easily hand carried by a single individual. This compactness was achieved by servo controlling the reference temperature below room temperature and replacing the water bath used in conventional calorimeter design with the thermos-bottle insulator. Other design features will also be discussed. The performance of the calorimeter will be presented.« less

Determination of tannin in green tea infusion by flow-injection analysis based on quenching the fluorescence of 3-aminophthalate.

PubMed

Chen, Richie L C; Lin, Chun-Hsun; Chung, Chien-Yu; Cheng, Tzong-Jih

2005-11-02

A flow-injection analytical system was developed to determine tannin content in green tea infusions. The flow-injection system is based on measuring the quenching effect of tannin on the fluorescence of 3-aminophthalate. Fluorophore was obtained by auto-oxidation of luminol during solution preparation. System performance was satisfactory for routine analysis (sample throughput >20 h(-1); linear dynamic range for tannic acid, 0.005-0.3 mg/mL; linear dynamic range for green tea tannin, 0.02-1.0 mg/mL; CV < 3%). The flow-injection method is immune from interference by coexisting ascorbate in green tea infusion. Analytical results were verified by the ferrous tartrate method, the Japanese official analytical method.

Study on the leaching of phthalates from polyethylene terephthalate bottles into mineral water.

PubMed

Keresztes, Szilvia; Tatár, Enikő; Czégény, Zsuzsanna; Záray, Gyula; Mihucz, Victor G

2013-08-01

Carbonated and non-carbonated mineral water samples bottled in 0.5-L, 1.5-L and 2.0-L polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers belonging to three different water brands commercialized in Hungary were studied in order to determine their phthalate content by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the six investigated phthalates, diisobutyl phthalate, di-n-butyl-phthalate, benzyl-butyl phthalate and di(2-ethyl-hexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were determined in non-carbonated samples as follows: <3.0 ng L(-1)-0.2 μg L(-1), <6.6 ng L(-1)-0.8 μg L(-1), <6.0 ng L(-1)-0.1 μg L(-1) and <16.0 ng L(-1)-1.7 μg L(-1), respectively. Any of the above-mentioned phthalate esters could be detected in carbonated mineral water samples. DEHP was the most abundant phthalate in the investigated samples. It could be detected after 44 days of storage at 22 °C and its leaching was the most pronounced when samples were stored over 1200 days. Mineral water purchased in PET bottles of 0.5L had the highest phthalate concentrations compared to those obtained for waters of the identical brand bottled in 1.5-L or 2.0-L PET containers due to the higher surface/volume ratio. No clear trend could be established for phthalate leaching when water samples were kept at higher temperatures (max. 60 °C) showing improper storage conditions. Phthalate determination by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometric measurements in the plastic material as well as in the aqueous phase proved the importance of the quality of PET raw material used for the production of the pre-form (virgin vs. polymer containing recycled PET). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Determination of lambda-cyhalothrin residue tea and soil using gas chromatography].

PubMed

Chen, Linglong; Chen, Jiuxing; Ma, Ming; Chen, Lihua; Yang, Hui; Zhang, Guiqun

2010-08-01

A gas chromatographic (GC) method was established for the determination of lambda-cyhalothrin residue in tea and soil. Tea and soil samples were extracted with hexane, separated by capillary column and determined by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The average recoveries of lambda-cyhalothrin in tea and soil were 89.0% - 94.1% and 89.8% - 94.7%, respectively at the spiking levels of 0.02 to 2.00 mg/kg. The corresponding relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 5) were 3.0% -4.9% and 2.5% -4.2%, respectively. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) was 0.002 mg/kg for lambda-cyhalothrin. The degradations of 2.5% lambda-cyhalothrin microemulsion in tea and soil in Changsha, Hunan were investigated and the degradation equations were Y = 3.199 6e(-0.339 4x) and Y = 0.122 4e(-0.103 6x) with the correlation coefficients of 0.995 6 and 0.924 7, respectively. The half-lives of lambda-cyhalothrin in tea and soil were 2.04 days and 6.69 days, respectively.

Therapeutic effect of Northern Labrador tea extracts for acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

McGill, Colin M; Tomco, Patrick L; Ondrasik, Regina M; Belknap, Kaitlyn C; Dwyer, Gaelen K; Quinlan, Daniel J; Kircher, Thomas A; Andam, Cheryl P; Brown, Timothy J; Claxton, David F; Barth, Brian M

2018-04-27

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematological malignancy that is one of the more common pediatric malignancies in addition to occurring with high incidence in the aging population. Unfortunately, these patient groups are quite sensitive to toxicity from chemotherapy. Northern Labrador tea, or Rhododendron tomentosum Harmaja (a.k.a. Ledum palustre subsp. decumbens) or "tundra tea," is a noteworthy medicinal plant used by indigenous peoples in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland to treat a diversity of ailments. However, laboratory investigations of Northern Labrador tea, and other Labrador tea family members, as botanical sources for anticancer compounds have been limited. Utilizing an AML cell line in both in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as in vitro studies using primary human AML patient samples, this study demonstrated for the first time that Northern Labrador tea extracts can exert anti-AML activity and that this may be attributed to ursolic acid as a constituent component. Therefore, this medicinal herb holds the potential to serve as a source for further drug discovery efforts to isolate novel anti-AML compounds. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparative healing property of kombucha tea and black tea against indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration in mice: possible mechanism of action.

PubMed

Banerjee, Debashish; Hassarajani, Sham A; Maity, Biswanath; Narayan, Geetha; Bandyopadhyay, Sandip K; Chattopadhyay, Subrata

2010-12-01

The healing activity of black tea (BT) and BT fermented with Candida parapsilosis and kombucha culture, designated as CT and KT respectively against the indomethacin-induced stomach ulceration has been studied in a mouse model. The KT sample (KT4) produced by fermenting BT for four days, showed the best DPPH radical scavenging capacity and phenolics contents. Hence the ulcer-healing activity of KT4 was compared with those of CT4 and BT. All the tea extracts (15 mg kg(-1)) could effectively heal the gastric ulceration as revealed from the histopathological and biochemical studies, with relative efficacy as KT4 > CT4 ∼ BT. The healing capacities of the tea extracts could be attributed to their antioxidant activity as well as the ability to protect the mucin content of the gastric tissues. In addition, the ability of KT4 to reduce gastric acid secretion might also contribute to its ulcer-healing activity. The tea preparation KT4 (15 mg kg(-1)) was as effective as the positive control, omeprazole (3 mg kg(-1)) in ulcer healing.

Association between tea and coffee consumption and prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Poland - results from the WOBASZ II study (2013-2014).

PubMed

Micek, Agnieszka; Grosso, Giuseppe; Polak, Maciej; Kozakiewicz, Krystyna; Tykarski, Andrzej; Puch Walczak, Aleksandra; Drygas, Wojciech; Kwaśniewska, Magdalena; Pająk, Andrzej

2018-05-01

The study aimed to assess a relationship between tea and coffee consumption and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Cross-sectional study of a random sample of total Polish population was done (The WOBASZ II Study), and the present analysis included 5146 participants at age 20 years and above. Tea and coffee consumption was assessed by 24-h recall method. MetS was defined according to IDF/NHLBI/AHA criteria. After adjustment for covariates, coffee consumption was related to blood pressure and HDL cholesterol, and moderate drinkers had 17% lower odds of MetS compared with non-drinkers (OR = 0.83, 95%CI = 0.72-0.97). Tea consumption was related to some components but not to MetS in general. Inverse association between coffee consumption and MetS may reflect the content of the antioxidants that offer cardiovascular protection. However, weak relation of tea with components of MetS points toward the potential importance of composition of polyphenols and the types of tea consumed.

Validation of AN Hplc-Dad Method for the Classification of Green Teas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jingbo; Ye, Nengsheng; Gu, Xuexin; Liu, Ni

A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) separation coupled with diode array detection (DAD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (ESI/MS) was developed and optimized for the classification of green teas. Five catechins [epigallocatechin (EGC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin (EC), gallocatechin gallate (GCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG)] had been identified and quantified by the HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS/MS method. The limit of detection (LOD) of five catechins was within the range of 1.25-15 ng. All the analytes exhibited good linearity up to 2500 ng. These compounds were considered as chemical descriptors to define groups of green teas. Chemometric methods including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied for the purpose. Twelve green tea samples originating from different regions were subjected to reveal the natural groups. The results showed that the analyzed green teas were differentiated mainly by provenance; HCA afforded an excellent performance in terms of recognition and prediction abilities. This method was accurate and reproducible, providing a potential approach for authentication of green teas.

A maximum contraction and substantial quantities of tritium can be obtained from tetraethylammonium-treated [3H]-noradrenaline preloaded, rat vas deferens in response to a single electrical shock.

PubMed Central

Wakade, A. R.

1980-01-01

1 In the normal and phenoxybenzamine-treated vasa deferentia of the rat the overflow of tritium after preloading with [3H]-noradrenaline increased with the increase in frequency of transmural stimulation. Phenozybenzamine enhanced overflow by 5 to 7 fold. 2 After tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mM), fractional tritium overflow at 5 Hz increased from a control value of 2.8 to 53 X 10(-4), and at 0.5 Hz it reached 154 X 10(-4). Enhancement of overflow was inversely related to the frequency of stimulation. 3 Contractor responses of the vas deferens induced by transmural stimulation were markedly potentiated, both in amplitude and duration, by 10 mM TEA. The contraction developed in the presence of 10 mM TEA at 0.5 Hz was comparable to that obtained at 10 Hz in normal Krebs solution. 4 In the presence of 5 mM TEA, contractions of the vas deferens caused by exogenous noradrenaline were potentiated about 5 fold. 5 The overflow and contractor response induced by 45 mM K were enhanced about 5 fold in 10 mM TEA-Krebs solution. Facilitation of K-induced overflow by TEA was reduced over 50% by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 microM). 6 Delivery of a single shock (1.0 ms duration) to 10 mM TEA-treated vas deferens resulted in a 63% increase in tritium overflow over background overflow. The fractional overflow amounted to almost 720 X 10(-4) after a single shock, as compared to 154 X 10(-4) obtained at 0.5 Hz. 7 The vas deferens treated with 10 mM TEA and stimulated by a single shock developed a contraction which was greater in amplitude and duration than that seen in normal tissue at 10 Hz. 8 Five second serial samples collected from superfused 10 mM TEA-treated vas deferens contained maximum quantities of radioactivity in the first 5 s after a single shock. In subsequent samples, radioactivity gradually declined, and reached prestimulation level after about 25 s. 9 The fractional overflow caused by stimulation at 0.1 Hz in 10 mM TEA-treated tissue progressively increased as external Ca was gradually raised from 0.83 to 10 mM. 10 The mechanism of action of TEA in enhancing the overflow of sympathetic transmitter, particularly in response to a single shock, is discussed in relation to Ca. PMID:7052336

Estimation of Theaflavins (TF) and Thearubigins (TR) Ratio in Black Tea Liquor Using Electronic Vision System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akuli, Amitava; Pal, Abhra; Ghosh, Arunangshu; Bhattacharyya, Nabarun; Bandhopadhyya, Rajib; Tamuly, Pradip; Gogoi, Nagen

2011-09-01

Quality of black tea is generally assessed using organoleptic tests by professional tea tasters. They determine the quality of black tea based on its appearance (in dry condition and during liquor formation), aroma and taste. Variation in the above parameters is actually contributed by a number of chemical compounds like, Theaflavins (TF), Thearubigins (TR), Caffeine, Linalool, Geraniol etc. Among the above, TF and TR are the most important chemical compounds, which actually contribute to the formation of taste, colour and brightness in tea liquor. Estimation of TF and TR in black tea is generally done using a spectrophotometer instrument. But, the analysis technique undergoes a rigorous and time consuming effort for sample preparation; also the operation of costly spectrophotometer requires expert manpower. To overcome above problems an Electronic Vision System based on digital image processing technique has been developed. The system is faster, low cost, repeatable and can estimate the amount of TF and TR ratio for black tea liquor with accuracy. The data analysis is done using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Multiple Discriminate Analysis (MDA). A correlation has been established between colour of tea liquor images and TF, TR ratio. This paper describes the newly developed E-Vision system, experimental methods, data analysis algorithms and finally, the performance of the E-Vision System as compared to the results of traditional spectrophotometer.

Using natural dietary sources of antioxidants to protect against ultraviolet and visible radiation-induced DNA damage: an investigation of human green tea ingestion.

PubMed

Malhomme de la Roche, Helena; Seagrove, Susan; Mehta, Anisha; Divekar, Preshita; Campbell, Sandra; Curnow, Alison

2010-11-03

Oral ingestion of green tea is a potent dietary source of antioxidant polyphenols. These compounds are of interest as they may be able to provide additional protection to the body to help prevent the deleterious effects of ultraviolet A and visible radiation (UVA/VIS) produced indirectly via reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sunlight exposed skin. A small clinical study was conducted in ten healthy adult volunteers. Samples of whole blood were obtained from each before and 30, 60 and 90 min following ingestion of three breakfast cups of green tea (540 ml in total) prepared in a standardised manner. Peripheral leucocytes were isolated from each blood sample and exposed to increasing periods of UVA/VIS irradiation in the laboratory (0, 9, 12 or 18 min). Alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (the comet assay) was then conducted to determine the level of DNA damage in each sample from each individual. The findings support those of our previous pilot study and indicate that drinking green tea did significantly reduce the genotoxic effects observed in peripheral blood cells 60 min following ingestion when artificially exposed to 12 min of UVA/VIS irradiation in the laboratory. It is postulated that this protection is afforded by the polyphenol compounds (known to be contained within green tea) via scavenging or quenching of the damaging ROS induced by this form of light exposure. Further investigation should consider whether this dietary-induced protection could be extended to cells of the skin. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

UHPLC determination of catechins for the quality control of green tea.

PubMed

Naldi, Marina; Fiori, Jessica; Gotti, Roberto; Périat, Aurélie; Veuthey, Jean-Luc; Guillarme, Davy; Andrisano, Vincenza

2014-01-01

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with UV detection method was developed for the fast quantitation of the most represented and biologically important green tea catechins and caffeine. UHPLC system was equipped with C18 analytical column (50mm×2.1mm, 1.8μm), utilizing a mobile phase composed of pH 2.5 triethanolamine phosphate buffer (0.1M) and acetonitrile in a gradient elution mode; under these conditions six major catechins and caffeine were separated in a 3min run. The method was fully validated in terms of precision, detection and quantification limits, linearity, accuracy, and it was applied to the identification and quantification of catechins and caffeine present in green tea infusions. In particular, commercially available green tea leaves samples of different geographical origin (Sencha, Ceylon Green and Lung Ching) were used for infusion preparations (water at 85°C for 15min). The selectivity of the developed UHPLC method was confirmed by comparison with UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. The recovery of the main six catechins and caffeine on the three analyzed commercial tea samples ranged from 94 to 108% (n=3). Limits of detection (LOD) were comprised in the range 0.1-0.4μgmL(-1). An orthogonal micellar electrokinetic (MEKC) method was applied for comparative purposes on selectivity and quantitative data. The combined use of the results obtained by the two techniques allowed for a fast confirmation on quantitative characterization of commercial samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On-chip sample pretreatment using a porous polymer monolithic column for solid-phase microextraction and chemiluminescence determination of catechins in green tea.

PubMed

Lin, Ling; Chen, Hui; Wei, Huibin; Wang, Feng; Lin, Jin-Ming

2011-10-21

A porous polymer monolithic column for solid-phase microextraction and chemiluminescence detection was integrated into a simple microfluidic chip for the extraction and determination of catechins in green tea. The porous polymer was prepared by poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) and modified with ethylenediamine. Catechins can be concentrated in the porous polymer monolithic column and react with potassium permanganate to give chemiluminescence. The microfluidic chip is reusable with high sensitivity and very low reagent consumption. The on-line preconcentration and detection can be realized without an elution step. The enrichment factor was calculated to be about 20 for catechins. The relative chemiluminescence intensity increased linearly with concentration of catechin from 5.0 × 10(-9) to 1.0 × 10(-6) M and the limit of detection was 1.0 × 10(-9) M. The proposed method was applied to determine catechin in green tea. The recoveries are from 90% to 110% which benefits the actual application for green tea samples.

The Peroxidation of Leukocytes Index Ratio Reveals the Prooxidant Effect of Green Tea Extract

PubMed Central

Manafikhi, Husseen; Raguzzini, Anna; Longhitano, Yaroslava; Reggi, Raffaella; Zanza, Christian

2016-01-01

Despite tea increased plasma nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity, the European Food Safety Administration (EFSA) denied claims related to tea and its protection from oxidative damage. Furthermore, the Supplement Information Expert Committee (DSI EC) expressed some doubts on the safety of green tea extract (GTE). We performed a pilot study in order to evaluate the effect of a single dose of two capsules of a GTE supplement (200 mg × 2) on the peroxidation of leukocytes index ratio (PLIR) in relation to uric acid (UA) and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), as well as the sample size to reach statistical significance. GTE induced a prooxidant effect on leukocytes, whereas FRAP did not change, in agreement with the EFSA and the DSI EC conclusions. Besides, our results confirm the primary role of UA in the antioxidant defences. The ratio based calculation of the PLIR reduced the sample size to reach statistical significance, compared to the resistance to an exogenous oxidative stress and to the functional capacity of oxidative burst. Therefore, PLIR could be a sensitive marker of redox status. PMID:28101300

The Peroxidation of Leukocytes Index Ratio Reveals the Prooxidant Effect of Green Tea Extract.

PubMed

Peluso, Ilaria; Manafikhi, Husseen; Raguzzini, Anna; Longhitano, Yaroslava; Reggi, Raffaella; Zanza, Christian; Palmery, Maura

2016-01-01

Despite tea increased plasma nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity, the European Food Safety Administration (EFSA) denied claims related to tea and its protection from oxidative damage. Furthermore, the Supplement Information Expert Committee (DSI EC) expressed some doubts on the safety of green tea extract (GTE). We performed a pilot study in order to evaluate the effect of a single dose of two capsules of a GTE supplement (200 mg × 2) on the peroxidation of leukocytes index ratio (PLIR) in relation to uric acid (UA) and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), as well as the sample size to reach statistical significance. GTE induced a prooxidant effect on leukocytes, whereas FRAP did not change, in agreement with the EFSA and the DSI EC conclusions. Besides, our results confirm the primary role of UA in the antioxidant defences. The ratio based calculation of the PLIR reduced the sample size to reach statistical significance, compared to the resistance to an exogenous oxidative stress and to the functional capacity of oxidative burst. Therefore, PLIR could be a sensitive marker of redox status.

Influence of regular black tea consumption on tobacco associated DNA damage and HPV prevalence in human oral mucosa.

PubMed

Pal, Debolina; Banerjee, Sarmistha; Indra, Dipanjana; Mandal, Shyamsundar; Dum, Anirudha; Bhowmik, Anup; Panda, Chinmay Kr; Das, Sukta

2007-01-01

Black tea is more widely consumed than green tea worldwide, particularly in India. Therefore, it is necessary to focus attention on black tea with respect to its health promoting and anti-cancer actions. In order to establish the concept that black tea is a potential candidate for cancer prevention, it is important to provide epidemiological evidence derived from investigations of human populations. In view of this, the objective of the present study was to determine the correlation between nature of black tea consumption and DNA damage in normal subjects with or without tobacco habit and oral cancer patients, taking the latter as positive controls. Much experimental evidence points to associations between tobacco habit and HPV 16 and HPV 18 (Human Papilloma virus) infection. But no studies have taken into account the possible confounding effect of black tea consumption on DNA damage along with HPV infection. A pilot study was therefore undertaken. Comet assay was used to evaluate the DNA damage among normal subjects including tobacco users (n = 86), non-tobacco users (n = 45) and Oral cancer patients (n = 37). Percentage of damaged cells was scored in the buccal squamous cells of all subjects mentioned above. HPV analysis was performed on 79 samples (including 37 oral cancer patients). The evaluation of various confounding factors like age, tenure of tobacco habit and tea habit showed significant associations with DNA damage. The observations strongly indicate that regular intake of black tea at least above four cups can reduce tobacco associated DNA damage among normal tobacco users. HPV prevalence was not seen to be associated with age, tenure of tobacco habit or the tea drinking habit.

Simultaneous determination and assessment of 4-nonylphenol, bisphenol A and triclosan in tap water, bottled water and baby bottles.

PubMed

Li, Xu; Ying, Guang-Guo; Su, Hao-Chang; Yang, Xiao-Bing; Wang, Li

2010-08-01

This study investigated the levels of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) in bottled water and tap water in Guangzhou and release of these chemicals from baby bottles using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionization. Results show that 4-NP was present in all the bottled water while 17 out of 21 contained BPA and 18 out of 21 contained TCS. Their concentrations in bottled water ranged from 108 to 298 ng/L, 17.6 to 324 ng/L and 0.6 to 9.7 ng/L, respectively. Five of the tap water samples from six drinking water plants were found to contain 4-NP and BPA both in June and December, while TCS was detected in the same five plants only in June. The highest concentrations in tap water for 4-NP, BPA and TCS were 1987, 317 and 14.5ng/L, respectively. Daily intakes of 4-NP, BPA and TCS of adults by drinking 2L of tap water were estimated to be 1410, 148 and 10 ng/day, respectively. BPA was found to be released within 24h from four brands of baby bottles at room temperature (24 degrees C), 40 degrees C and 100 degrees C. Increased temperature led to higher release of BPA from the baby bottles. Estimated daily intakes of 4-NP, BPA and TCS for infants were 705, 1340 and 5 ng/day, respectively, by drinking 1L of tap water from a baby bottle at 40 degrees C. This study showed that the exposure to the three compounds from drinking water is unlikely to pose a health risk. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrazine Blending and Storage Facility Wastewater Treatment and Decommissioning Assessment. Version 3.1

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

Valve Pit Number 2 Location One near hydrazine/aerozine tank area .nd one near wastewater tank area *There is a variety of underground piping at the...loading station (wipe of drum filling nozzles/connectors) 3,475 19.u I W-1U Tank HAS-?, drain value (Tank pit valve ) <S ɘ.2 W-110 Tank HAS-I, control... valve (on top) sample bottle broken W-111 Tank Truck Station, Truck loading filler nozzle and boom sample bottle broken I/ UUMH - 1,1

Conventional and accelerated-solvent extractions of green tea (camellia sinensis) for metabolomics-based chemometrics.

PubMed

Kellogg, Joshua J; Wallace, Emily D; Graf, Tyler N; Oberlies, Nicholas H; Cech, Nadja B

2017-10-25

Metabolomics has emerged as an important analytical technique for multiple applications. The value of information obtained from metabolomics analysis depends on the degree to which the entire metabolome is present and the reliability of sample treatment to ensure reproducibility across the study. The purpose of this study was to compare methods of preparing complex botanical extract samples prior to metabolomics profiling. Two extraction methodologies, accelerated solvent extraction and a conventional solvent maceration, were compared using commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (Theaceae)] products as a test case. The accelerated solvent protocol was first evaluated to ascertain critical factors influencing extraction using a D-optimal experimental design study. The accelerated solvent and conventional extraction methods yielded similar metabolite profiles for the green tea samples studied. The accelerated solvent extraction yielded higher total amounts of extracted catechins, was more reproducible, and required less active bench time to prepare the samples. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of accelerated solvent as an efficient methodology for metabolomics studies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Volatile profile analysis and quality prediction of Longjing tea (Camellia sinensis) by HS-SPME/GC-MS

PubMed Central

Lin, Jie; Dai, Yi; Guo, Ya-nan; Xu, Hai-rong; Wang, Xiao-chang

2012-01-01

This study aimed to analyze the volatile chemical profile of Longjing tea, and further develop a prediction model for aroma quality of Longjing tea based on potent odorants. A total of 21 Longjing samples were analyzed by headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Pearson’s linear correlation analysis and partial least square (PLS) regression were applied to investigate the relationship between sensory aroma scores and the volatile compounds. Results showed that 60 volatile compounds could be commonly detected in this famous green tea. Terpenes and esters were two major groups characterized, representing 33.89% and 15.53% of the total peak area respectively. Ten compounds were determined to contribute significantly to the perceived aroma quality of Longjing tea, especially linalool (0.701), nonanal (0.738), (Z)-3-hexenyl hexanoate (−0.785), and β-ionone (−0.763). On the basis of these 10 compounds, a model (correlation coefficient of 89.4% and cross-validated correlation coefficient of 80.4%) was constructed to predict the aroma quality of Longjing tea. Summarily, this study has provided a novel option for quality prediction of green tea based on HS-SPME/GC-MS technique. PMID:23225852

Predicting consumer preferences for mineral composition of bottled and tap water.

PubMed

Platikanov, Stefan; Hernández, Alejandra; González, Susana; Luis Cortina, Jose; Tauler, Roma; Devesa, Ricard

2017-01-01

The overall liking for taste of water was correlated with the mineral composition of selected bottled and tap waters. Sixty-nine untrained volunteers assessed and rated twenty-five different commercial bottled and tap waters from. Water samples were physicochemical characterised by analysing conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS) and major anions and cations: HCO 3 - , SO 4 2- , Cl - , NO 3 - , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , and K + . Residual chlorine levels were also analysed in the tap water samples. Globally, volunteers preferred waters rich in calcium bicarbonate and sulfate, rather than in sodium chloride. This study also demonstrated that it was possible to accurately predict the overall liking by a Partial Least Squares regression using either all measured physicochemical parameters or a reduced number of them. These results were in agreement with previously published results using trained panellists. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR Appendix 6 to Subpart A of... - Reverse Phase Extraction (RPE) Method for Detection of Oil Contamination in Non-Aqueous Drilling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... rigorous statistical experimental design and interpretation (Reference 16.4). 14.0Pollution Prevention 14... fluids. 1.4This method has been designed to show positive contamination for 5% of representative crude....1Sample collection bottles/jars—New, pre-cleaned bottles/jars, lot-certified to be free of artifacts...

40 CFR Appendix 6 to Subpart A of... - Reverse Phase Extraction (RPE) Method for Detection of Oil Contamination in Non-Aqueous Drilling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... rigorous statistical experimental design and interpretation (Reference 16.4). 14.0Pollution Prevention 14... fluids. 1.4This method has been designed to show positive contamination for 5% of representative crude....1Sample collection bottles/jars—New, pre-cleaned bottles/jars, lot-certified to be free of artifacts...

40 CFR Appendix 6 to Subpart A of... - Reverse Phase Extraction (RPE) Method for Detection of Oil Contamination in Non-Aqueous Drilling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... rigorous statistical experimental design and interpretation (Reference 16.4). 14.0Pollution Prevention 14... fluids. 1.4This method has been designed to show positive contamination for 5% of representative crude....1Sample collection bottles/jars—New, pre-cleaned bottles/jars, lot-certified to be free of artifacts...

40 CFR Appendix 6 to Subpart A of... - Reverse Phase Extraction (RPE) Method for Detection of Oil Contamination in Non-Aqueous Drilling...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... rigorous statistical experimental design and interpretation (Reference 16.4). 14.0Pollution Prevention 14... oil contamination in drilling fluids. 1.4This method has been designed to show positive contamination....1Sample collection bottles/jars—New, pre-cleaned bottles/jars, lot-certified to be free of artifacts...

Evaluation of the Impact of Storage Conditions on the Biogenic Amines Profile in Opened Wine Bottles.

PubMed

Płotka-Wasylka, Justyna; Simeonov, Vasil; Namieśnik, Jacek

2018-05-09

A survey of biogenic amine (BA) profiles in opened wine bottles has been established to monitor the level of biogenic amines (BAs) in opened bottles against time and other conditions. Bottles of red and white wine were submitted to different temperatures, stopper type (screw cap, cork), and use of vacuum devices. A total of six wines made from a variety of grapes were obtained from vineyards from regions across Poland. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DLLME-GC-MS) procedure for BAs determination was validated and applied for wine sample analysis. The total content of BAs from the set of immediately opened wine samples ranged from 442 to 929 µg/L for white wines, and 669 to 2244 µg/L for red wines. The most abundant BAs in the analysed wines were histamine and putrescine. Considering the commercial availability of the analysed wines, there was no relationship between the presence of BAs in a given wine and their availability on the market. However, it was observed and confirmed by chemometric analysis that the different storage conditions employed in this experiment affect not only the BAs profile, but also the pH.

Fluoride content in bottled waters, juices and carbonated soft drinks in Mexico City, Mexico.

PubMed

Jimenez-Farfan, M D; Hernandez-Guerrero, J C; Loyola-Rodriguez, J P; Ledesma-Montes, C

2004-07-01

The objective of this study was to analyse 283 samples of soft drinks available in the metropolitan market of Mexico City, Mexico: 105 juices, 101 nectars, 57 carbonated drinks and 20 bottled waters. Samples of the beverages were analysed using an Orion 720A potentiometer and an Orion 9609BN F ion-specific electrode. Fluoride concentration in the above-mentioned products ranged from 0.07 to 1.42 p.p.m. It was found that fluoride concentrations varied according to the brand, flavour and presentation of the product. The highest mean concentration of fluoride was found in the juices and cola drinks (0.67 +/- 0.38 and 0.49 +/- 0.41 p.p.m., respectively). The mean fluoride concentration for carbonated drinks was 0.43 +/- 0.36 p.p.m. Bottled waters had a fluoride concentration of 0.21 +/- 0.08 p.p.m. The findings suggest that fluoride ingested through bottled drinks represents an important part of the total fluoride ingested by the population. In view of the wide variation of fluoride concentration in the tested products, it is necessary to implement regulatory guidelines for controlling its concentration in order to prevent dental fluorosis.

External quality-assurance results for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network, 1995-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gordon, John D.

1999-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operated four external quality-assurance programs for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) in 1995 and 1996: the intersite-comparison program, the blind-audit program, the interlaboratory- comparison program, and the collocated-sampler program. The intersite-comparison program assessed the precision and bias of pH and specific-conductance determinations made by NADP/NTN site operators. The analytical bias introduced during routine handling, processing, and shipping of wet-deposition samples and precision of analyte values was estimated using a blind-audit program. An interlaboratory-comparison program was used to evaluate differences between analytical results and to estimate the analytical precision of five North American laboratories that routinely analyzed wet deposition. A collocated-sampler program estimated the precision of the overall precipitation collection and analysis system from initial sample collection through final storage of the data. Results of two intersite-comparison studies completed in 1995 indicated 94.6 and 94.4 percent of the onsite pH determinations met the NADP/NTN accuracy goals, whereas 97.2 and 98.3 percent of the specific-conductance determinations were within the established limits. The percentages of onsite determinations that met the accuracy goals in 1996 were slightly less for both pH and specific-conductance than in 1995. In 1996, 93.2 and 87.5 percent of onsite pH determinations met the accuracy goals, whereas the percentage of onsite specific-conductance measurements that met the goals was 93.9 and 94.9 percent.The blind audit program utilizes a paired sample design to evaluate the effects of routine sample handling, processing and shipping on the chemistry of weekly precipitation samples. The portion of the blind audit sample subject to all of the normal onsite handling and processing steps of a regular weekly precipitation sample is referred to as the bucket portion, whereas the portion receiving only minimal handling is referred to as the bottle portion. Throughout the report, the term positive bias in regard to blind-audit results indicates that the bucket portion had a higher concentration than the bottle portion. The paired t-test of 1995 blind-audit data indicated that routine sample handling, processing, and shipping introduced a very small positive bias (a=0.05) for hydrogen ion and specific conductance and a slight negative bias (a =0.05) for ammonium and sodium. In 1995, the median paired differences between the bucket and bottle portions ranged from -0.02 milligram per liter for both ammonium and nitrate to +0.002 milligram per liter for calcium. Although the paired t-test indicated a very small positive bias for hydrogen ion, the median paired difference between the bucket and bottle portions was 0.00 microequivalents per liter, whereas for specific conductance, the median paired difference between the bucket and bottle portions was 0.200 microsiemens per centimeter in 1995. The paired t-test of blind-audit results in 1996 indicated statistically significant bias for 6 of the 10 analytes. Only chloride, nitrate, hydrogen ion, and specific conductance were not biased in 1996. However, the magnitude of the bias in 1996 was very small and only of limited importance from the viewpoint of an analytical chemist or data user. The median paired differences between the bucket and bottle portions ranged from -0.02 milligram per liter for both ammonium and chloride to +0.006 milligram per liter for calcium. For hydrogen ion, the median paired difference between the bucket and bottle portions was -0.357 microequivalent per liter; for specific conductance, the median paired difference between the bucket and bottle portions was 0.00 microsiemens per centimeter in 1996. Surface-chemistry effects due to different amounts of precipitation contacting the sample collection and shipping container surfac

Multiwall carbon nanotube- zirconium oxide nanocomposite hollow fiber solid phase microextraction for determination of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in water, coffee and tea samples.

PubMed

Yazdi, Mahnaz Nozohour; Yamini, Yadollah; Asiabi, Hamid

2018-06-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application of hollow fiber solid-phase microextraction (HF-SPME) followed by HPLC-UV to determine the ultra-trace amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as model analytes in complex coffee and tea samples. HF-SPME can be effectively used as an alternative to the direct immersion SPME (DI-SPME) method in complex matrices. The DI-SPME method suffers from serious limitation in dirty and complicated matrices with low sample clean-up, while the HF-SPME method has high clean-up and selectivity due to the high porosity of hollow fiber that can pick out analyte from complicated matrices. As a hollow fiber sorbent, a novel multiwall carbon nanotube/zirconium oxide nanocomposite (MWCNT/ZrO 2 ) was fabricated. The excellent adsorption of PAHs on the sorbent was attributed to the dominant roles of π-π stacking interaction and hydrophobic interaction. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the wide linear range of 0.1-200 μg L -1 with coefficients of determination better than 0.998 and low detection limits of 0.033-0.16 μg L -1 with satisfactory precision (RSD < 6.6%) were obtained. The relative recoveries obtained by spiking the PAHs in water, coffee and tea samples were in the range of 92.0-106.0%. Compared to other methods, MWCNT/ZrO 2 hollow fiber solid phase microextraction demonstrated a good capability for determination of PAHs in complex coffee and tea samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Caffeine content of beverages as consumed.

PubMed Central

Gilbert, R. M.; Marshman, J. A.; Schwieder, M.; Berg, R.

1976-01-01

Quantitative analysis of beverages prepared at home by staff of the Addiction Research Foundation revealed a lower and much more variable caffeine content of both tea and coffee than had been reported in earlier studies, most of which were based on analysis of laboratory-prepared beverages. Median caffeine concentration of 37 home-prepared samples of tea was 27 mg per cup (range, 8 to 91 mg); for 46 coffee samples the median concentration was 74 mg per cup (range, 29 to 176 mg). If tea and coffee as drunk contain less caffeine than generally supposed, the potency of caffeine may be greater than commonly realized, as may the relative caffeine content of certain commercial preparations, including chocolate and colas. The substantial variation in caffeine content emphasizes the need to establish actual caffeine intake in clinical, epidemiologic and experimental investigations of caffeine effects. PMID:1032351

A new turn-on fluorimetric method for the rapid speciation of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) species in tea samples with rhodamine-based fluorescent reagent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özyol, Esra; Saçmacı, Şerife; Saçmacı, Mustafa; Ülgen, Ahmet

2018-02-01

A new fluorimetric method with rhodamine-based fluorescent agent was developed for the rapid speciation of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) in tea, soil and water samples. The system, which utilizes a fluorescent reagent, was used for the first time after synthesis/characterization of 3‧,6‧-bis(diethylamino)-2-{[(1E)-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methylene] amino}spiro[isoindole-1,9‧-xanthen]-3(2H)-one (BDAS). The reagent responds instantaneously at room temperature in a 1:1 stoichiometric manner to the amount of Cr(III). The selectivity of this system for Cr(III) over other metal ions is remarkably high, and its sensitivity is below 0.01 mg L- 1 in aqueous solutions which enables a simplification without any pretreatment of the real sample. The method has a wide linear range of 0.1-10 mg L- 1 and a detection limit of 0.15 μg L- 1 for Cr(III) while the relative standard deviation was 0.1% for 0.1 mg L- 1 Cr(III) concentration. The results of detection and recovery experiments for Cr(III) in tea, soil and water were satisfactory, indicating that the method has better feasibility and application potential in the routine determination and speciation of Cr(III)/Cr(VI). The results of analysis of the certified reference material (INCT-TL-1 tea sample and CWW-TM-D waste water) are in good agreement with the certified value.

Classification of java tea (Orthosiphon aristatus) quality using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heryanto, R.; Pradono, D. I.; Marlina, E.; Darusman, L. K.

2017-05-01

Java tea (Orthosiphon aristatus) is a plant that widely used as a medicinal herb in Indonesia. Its quality is varying depends on various factors, such as cultivating area, climate and harvesting time. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of FTIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics for discriminating the quality of java tea from different cultivating area. FTIR spectra of ethanolic extracts were collected from five different regions of origin of java tea. Prior to chemometrics evaluation, spectra were pre-processed by using baselining, normalization and derivatization. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the spectra to two PCs, which explained 73% of the total variance. Score plot of two PCs showed groupings of the samples according to their regions of origin. Furthermore, Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) was applied to the pre-processed data. The approach produced an external validation success rate of 100%. This study shows that FTIR analysis and chemometrics has discriminatory power to classify java tea based on its quality related to the region of origin.

Heavy metal content in tea soils and their distribution in different parts of tea plants, Camellia sinensis (L). O. Kuntze.

PubMed

Seenivasan, Subbiah; Anderson, Todd Alan; Muraleedharan, Narayanannair

2016-07-01

Soils contaminated with heavy metals may pose a threat to environment and human health if metals enter the food chain over and above threshold levels. In general, there is a lack of information on the presence of heavy metals in tea [Camellia sinensis (L). O. Kuntze] plants and the soils in which they are grown. Therefore, an attempt was made to establish a database on the important heavy metals: cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb). For an initial survey on heavy metals, soil samples were collected randomly from tea-growing areas of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, India. Parallel studies were conducted in the greenhouse on uptake of Pb, Cd, and Ni from soils supplemented with these metals at different concentrations. Finally, metal distribution in the tea plants under field conditions was also documented to assess the accumulation potential and critical limit of uptake by plants.

Evaluation of physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities of kombucha "Tea Fungus" during extended periods of fermentation.

PubMed

Amarasinghe, Hashani; Weerakkody, Nimsha S; Waisundara, Viduranga Y

2018-05-01

Kombucha fermentation is traditionally carried out by inoculating a previously grown tea fungal mat into a freshly prepared tea broth and incubating under aerobic conditions for 7-10 days. In this study, four kombucha beverages were prepared by placing the tea fungal mats in sugared Sri Lankan black tea at varying concentrations for a period of 8 weeks. The antioxidant activities, physicochemical, and qualitative properties were monitored prior to the commencement of the fermentation process, one day after the inoculation with the microorganisms and subsequently on a weekly basis. All samples displayed a statistically significant decrease ( p  <   .05) in the antioxidant activity at the end of 8 weeks, which was indicative of the decreasing functional properties of the beverage. The physicochemical properties indicated increased acidity and turbidity, which might decrease consumer appeal of the fermented beverage. Further studies are necessary to test the accumulation of organic acids, nucleic acids, and toxicity of kombucha on human organs following the extended period of fermentation.

Occurrence of nontuberculous mycobacteria in environmental samples.

PubMed

Covert, T C; Rodgers, M R; Reyes, A L; Stelma, G N

1999-06-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are a major cause of opportunistic infection in immunocompromised hosts. Because there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission and NTM have been found in drinking water, the environment is considered a likely source of infection. In this study the widespread occurrence of NTM was examined in drinking water, bottled water, and ice samples. A total of 139 samples were examined for NTM by a membrane filtration culture technique followed by PCR amplification and 16S rRNA sequence determination to identify the isolates. NTM were not detected in bottled water or cisterns but were detected in 54% of the ice samples and 35% of the public drinking-water samples from 21 states. The most frequently occurring isolate was M. mucogenicum (formerly referred to as an M. chelonae-like organism).

The Effects of Green Tea Extract on Working Memory in Healthy Women.

PubMed

Liu, Y; Fly, A D; Wang, Z; Klaunig, J E

2018-01-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of green tea extract on working memory in healthy younger (21 - 29 y) and older (50 - 63 y) women. A single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was used. A university laboratory. Twenty non-smoking Caucasian women were recruited in the younger (10) and older (10) age group. Subjects received 5.4 g green tea extract (at least 45% epigallocatechin-3-gallate) or placebo (cornstarch) within a 24-hour period. Working memory was measured by reading span and N-back task paradigm. Blood sample (20 mL) was collected and measured for plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) concentration. A 24-hour recall was conducted for each treatment period to ensure similar dietary patterns. Green tea extract significantly improved reading span performance in older women, indicated by higher absolute and partial scores of reading span. No significant changes were observed in the younger group. N-back latencies and accuracies were not significantly different after green tea treatment in either age group. Plasma concentration of MDA and TEAC were not different after green tea extract in either group. Acute supplementation of decaffeinated green tea extract may enhance working memory capacity of women between 50 to 63 years of age. This study provides preliminary evidence that consumption of green tea extract may enhance the cognitive performance in older adults and thus provide potential chemopreventive benefits in this group. The mechanism should be explored in future research.

Frequency of micronucleus in oral epithelial cells after exposure to mate-tea in healthy humans

PubMed Central

Campagnoli, Eduardo B.; Milan, José R.; Reinheimer, Angélica; Masson, Maicon; Capella, Diogo L.

2014-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of technique simplification for cytology slides in order to evaluate the frequency of micronuclei (FMic) and conduct a experiment looking to know the FMic of oral epithelial cells of healthy volunteers exposed to mate tea (Ilex paraguarariensis). Material and Methods: This is a laboratorial and nonrandomized trial (quasi-experiment), where the nonusers subjects were exposed to mate-tea, consumed in the traditional way, two drinks, two times a day for a single week. Two cytology of exfoliated epithelial cells were obtained before and after the mate tea exposition. Results: The sample was composed by 10 volunteers. The age ranged from 18 to 33 years (Mean 23; SD5.5). The use of mate tea did not showed significant variation in the FMic (Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test p= .24). Conclusions: The proposed technique simplification showed to be reliable, without losses when compared to the conventional technique and with the advantage of eliminate toxic substances, becoming simple and practical tool for research in dentistry. The acute exposure to mate tea did not induce an increase of FMic in exfoliated buccal cells of healthy nondrinkers and nonsmokers subjects and may not have genotoxic effect. More human studies are needed before a conclusion can be made on the oral carcinogenic risk of mate tea to humans. Key words:Micronucleus, Oral Cancer, Cytology, Mate tea, Ilex paraguariensis. PMID:24608213

A Small Diameter Rosette for Sampling Ice Covered Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chayes, D. N.; Smethie, W. M.; Perry, R. S.; Schlosser, P.; Friedrich, R.

2011-12-01

A gas tight, small diameter, lightweight rosette, supporting equipment and an effective operational protocol has been developed for aircraft supported sampling of sea water across the Lincoln Sea. The system incorporates a commercial off the shelf CTD electronics (SBE19+ sensor package and SBE33 deck unit) to provide real-time measurement data at the surface. We designed and developed modular water sample units and custom electronics to decode the bottle firing commands and close the sample bottles. For a typical station, we land a ski-equipped deHaviland Twin Otter (DHC-6) aircraft on a suitable piece of sea-ice, drill a 12" diameter hole through the ice next to the cargo door and set up a tent to provide a reasonable working environment over the hole. A small winch with 0.1" diameter single conductor cable is mounted in the aircraft by the cargo door and a tripod supports a sheave above the hole. The CTD module is connected to the end of the wire and the water sampling modules are stacked on top as the system is lowered. For most stations, three sample modules are used to provide 12 four (4) liter sample bottles. Data collected during the down-cast is used to formulate the sampling plan which is executed on the up-cast. The system is powered by a 3,700 Watt, 120VAC gasoline generator. After collection, the sample modules are stored in passively temperature stabilized ice chests during the flight back to the logistics facility at Alert where a broad range of samples are drawn and stored for future analysis. The transport mechanism has a good track record of maintaining water samples within about two degrees of the original collection temperature which minimizes out-gassing. The system has been successfully deployed during a field program each spring starting in 2004 along a transect between the north end of Ellesmere Island (Alert, Nunavut) and the North Pole. During the eight field programs we have taken 48 stations with twelve bottles at most stations (eight at some shallow stations) and with a miss-fire rate within two percent of those achieved with traditional over-the-side CTD/rosette systems.

Leaf transcriptome analysis of a subtropical evergreen broadleaf plant, wild oil-tea camellia (Camellia oleifera), revealing candidate genes for cold acclimation.

PubMed

Chen, Jiaming; Yang, Xiaoqiang; Huang, Xiaomao; Duan, Shihua; Long, Chuan; Chen, Jiakuan; Rong, Jun

2017-02-28

Cold tolerance is a key determinant of the geographical distribution range of a plant species and crop production. Cold acclimation can enhance freezing-tolerance of plant species through a period of exposure to low nonfreezing temperatures. As a subtropical evergreen broadleaf plant, oil-tea camellia demonstrates a relatively strong tolerance to freezing temperatures. Moreover, wild oil-tea camellia is an essential genetic resource for the breeding of cultivated oil-tea camellia, one of the four major woody oil crops in the world. The aims of our study are to identify variations in transcriptomes of wild oil-tea camellia from different latitudes and elevations, and discover candidate genes for cold acclimation. Leaf transcriptomes were obtained of wild oil-tea camellia from different elevations in Lu and Jinggang Mountains, China. Huge amounts of simple sequence repeats (SSRs), single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion/deletions (InDels) were identified. Based on SNPs, phylogenetic analysis was performed to detect genetic structure. Wild oil-tea camellia samples were genetically differentiated mainly between latitudes (between Lu and Jinggang Mountains) and then among elevations (within Lu or Jinggang Mountain). Gene expression patterns of wild oil-tea camellia samples were compared among different air temperatures, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered. When air temperatures were below 10 °C, gene expression patterns changed dramatically and majority of the DEGs were up-regulated at low temperatures. More DEGs concerned with cold acclimation were detected at 2 °C than at 5 °C, and a putative C-repeat binding factor (CBF) gene was significantly up-regulated only at 2 °C, suggesting a stronger cold stress at 2 °C. We developed a new method for identifying significant functional groups of DEGs. Among the DEGs, transmembrane transporter genes were found to be predominant and many of them encoded transmembrane sugar transporters. Our study provides one of the largest transcriptome dataset in the genus Camellia. Wild oil-tea camellia populations were genetically differentiated between latitudes. It may undergo cold acclimation when air temperatures are below 10 °C. Candidate genes for cold acclimation may be predominantly involved in transmembrane transporter activities.

Application of the Kombucha 'tea fungus' for the enhancement of antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory properties of ten herbal teas.

PubMed

Watawana, Mindani I; Jayawardena, Nilakshi; Choo, Candy; Waisundara, Viduranga Y

2016-03-01

Ten herbal teas (Acacia arabica, Aegle marmelos flower, A. marmelos root bark, Aerva lanata, Asteracantha longifolia, Cassia auriculata, Hemidesmus indicus, Hordeum vulgare, Phyllanthus emblica, Tinospora cordifolia) were fermented with the Kombucha 'tea fungus'. The pH values of the fermented beverages ranged from 4.0 to 6.0 by day 7, while the titratable acidity ranged from 2.5 to 5.0g/mL (P<0.05). Gallic acid had statistically significantly increased (P<0.05) in almost all the samples by day 7. The Oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay indicated 5 of the Kombucha beverages to have statistically significant increases (P<0.05) by day 7. The α-amylase inhibitory activities ranged from 52.5 to 67.2μg/mL in terms of IC50 values following fermentation, while the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities ranged from 95.2 to 196.1μg/mL. In conclusion, an enhancement of the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory potential of the herbal teas was observed by adding the tea fungus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A rapid ATR-FTIR spectroscopic method for detection of sibutramine adulteration in tea and coffee based on hierarchical cluster and principal component analyses.

PubMed

Cebi, Nur; Yilmaz, Mustafa Tahsin; Sagdic, Osman

2017-08-15

Sibutramine may be illicitly included in herbal slimming foods and supplements marketed as "100% natural" to enhance weight loss. Considering public health and legal regulations, there is an urgent need for effective, rapid and reliable techniques to detect sibutramine in dietetic herbal foods, teas and dietary supplements. This research comprehensively explored, for the first time, detection of sibutramine in green tea, green coffee and mixed herbal tea using ATR-FTIR spectroscopic technique combined with chemometrics. Hierarchical cluster analysis and PCA principle component analysis techniques were employed in spectral range (2746-2656cm -1 ) for classification and discrimination through Euclidian distance and Ward's algorithm. Unadulterated and adulterated samples were classified and discriminated with respect to their sibutramine contents with perfect accuracy without any false prediction. The results suggest that existence of the active substance could be successfully determined at the levels in the range of 0.375-12mg in totally 1.75g of green tea, green coffee and mixed herbal tea by using FTIR-ATR technique combined with chemometrics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activity of titania and zeolite samples dosed with triethylamine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, Caitlin; Gole, James L.; Brauer, Jonathan

2016-01-01

Certain properties of titania and the ammonium- and proton-form of Y zeolites (silica/alumina ratio of 5.2) were explored before and after treatment by triethylamine (TEA). The effect of the triethylamine upon the physical and chemical properties of both titania and the zeolite were characterized by physical and chemical adsorption methods. BET surface area data showed enhanced surface area of the TEA-treated nanotitania over the untreated nanotitania whereas the TEA-treated zeolite showed a considerable decrease in surface area compared to the untreated zeolite. TPD of the TEA-treated Y zeolite showed that weakly adsorbed TEA left the surface between 150 and 300more » oC; strongly adsorbed TEA decomposed to ethylene and ammonia at higher temperatures. XPS, IR, and Raman spectroscopies, powder XRD, and 27Al MAS-NMR spectroscopy were used to further characterize the changes introduced by in-situ nitridation. Pre-adsorbed triethylamine decorated acid sites so as to neutralize these sites for the reaction of methanol to dimethylether. Carbon monoxide and ormaldehyde, products of the methanol probe reaction, were observed-- suggesting that basic sites are present in this treated zeolite and titania.« less

[Direct determination of purine bases in tea by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Ding, M; Yang, H; Xiao, S; Chen, P

1999-09-01

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic(RP-HPLC) method for the direct determination of three purine bases(theobromin, theophyllin and caffeine) in tea was developed. An ODS column with Zorbax SB-C18(4.6 mm i.d. x 250 mm, 5 microns) was employed. The aqueous solution of methanol containing 0.05% of acetic acid and 0.25% of N,N-dimethylformamide(DMF) was used as eluent with a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. In this method, the aqueous extract of tea can be injected into HPLC directly, but in current HPLC methods for purine bases the coexisted tea polyphenols must be pre-separated. The three purine bases in tea were separated without any interference from the coexisted tea polyphenols. This method is simple (without any special sample pretreatment) and sensitive with detection limits (S/N = 3) of 0.7, 0.9 and 1.8 mg/L for theobromin, theophyllin and caffeine respectively. The linear range of the calibration curve of peak area for the three purine bases were from 6 mg/L to 1,000 mg/L with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.998-0.999.

What is in your cup of tea? DNA Verity Test to characterize black and green commercial teas

PubMed Central

Comparone, Maria; Di Maio, Antonietta; Del Guacchio, Emanuele; Menale, Bruno; Troisi, Jacopo; Aliberti, Francesco

2017-01-01

In this study, we used several molecular techniques to develop a fast and reliable protocol (DNA Verity Test, DVT) for the characterization and confirmation of the species or taxa present in herbal infusions. As a model plant for this protocol, Camellia sinensis, a traditional tea plant, was selected due to the following reasons: its historical popularity as a (healthy) beverage, its high selling value, the importation of barely recognizable raw product (i.e., crushed), and the scarcity of studies concerning adulterants or contamination. The DNA Verity Test includes both the sequencing of DNA barcoding markers and genotyping of labeled-PCR DNA barcoding fragments for each sample analyzed. This protocol (DVT) was successively applied to verify the authenticity of 32 commercial teas (simple or admixture), and the main results can be summarized as follows: (1) the DVT protocol is suitable to detect adulteration in tea matrices (contaminations or absence of certified ingredients), and the method can be exported for the study of other similar systems; (2) based on the BLAST analysis of the sequences of rbcL+matK±rps7-trnV(GAC) chloroplast markers, C. sinensis can be taxonomically characterized; (3) rps7-trnV(GAC) can be employed to discriminate C. sinensis from C. pubicosta; (4) ITS2 is not an ideal DNA barcode for tea samples, reflecting potential incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization/introgression phenomena in C. sinensis taxa; (5) the genotyping approach is an easy, inexpensive and rapid pre-screening method to detect anomalies in the tea templates using the trnH(GUG)-psbA barcoding marker; (6) two herbal companies provided no authentic products with a contaminant or without some of the listed ingredients; and (7) the leaf matrices present in some teabags could be constituted using an admixture of different C. sinensis haplotypes and/or allied species (C. pubicosta). PMID:28542606

Homogeneity study of a corn flour laboratory reference material candidate for inorganic analysis.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Ana Maria Pinto; Dos Santos, Liz Oliveira; Brandao, Geovani Cardoso; Leao, Danilo Junqueira; Bernedo, Alfredo Victor Bellido; Lopes, Ricardo Tadeu; Lemos, Valfredo Azevedo

2015-07-01

In this work, a homogeneity study of a corn flour reference material candidate for inorganic analysis is presented. Seven kilograms of corn flour were used to prepare the material, which was distributed among 100 bottles. The elements Ca, K, Mg, P, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Mo were quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) after acid digestion procedure. The method accuracy was confirmed by analyzing the rice flour certified reference material, NIST 1568a. All results were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). In the study, a sample mass of 400mg was established as the minimum mass required for analysis, according to the PCA. The between-bottle test was performed by analyzing 9 bottles of the material. Subsamples of a single bottle were analyzed for the within-bottle test. No significant differences were observed for the results obtained through the application of both statistical methods. This fact demonstrates that the material is homogeneous for use as a laboratory reference material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DPPH Radical Scavenging and Postprandial Hyperglycemia Inhibition Activities and Flavonoid Composition Analysis of Hawk Tea by UPLC-DAD and UPLC-Q/TOF MSE.

PubMed

Xiao, Xuan; Xu, Lijia; Hu, Huagang; Yang, Yinjun; Zhang, Xinyao; Peng, Yong; Xiao, Peigen

2017-10-13

Hawk tea ( Litsea coreana Lévl. var. Lanuginosa (Migo) Yen C. Yang & P.H. Huang), a very popular herbal tea material, has attracted more and more attention due to its high antioxidant properties and possible therapeutic effect on type II diabetes mellitus. The raw materials of Hawk tea are usually divided into three kinds: bud tea (BT), primary leaf tea (PLT) and mature leaf tea (MLT). In this study, the DPPH radical scavenging activity and the antimicrobial properties of these three kinds of Hawk tea from different regions were comparatively investigated, and a ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic coupled with a photodiode array detector (UPLC-DAD) method was employed for comparison of the three major flavonoid constituents, including hyperoside, isoquercitrin and astragalin, in different samples of Hawk tea. At the same time, the effect of methanol extract (ME) of PLT on the mouse postprandial blood glucose and the effect of ME and its different fractions (petroleum ether fraction (PE), ethyl acetate fraction (EA), n -butanol fraction ( n -BuOH), and water fraction (WF)) on the activity of α-glucosidase were studied. The results showed that Hawk BT and Hawk PLT possessed the higher radicals scavenging activity than Hawk MLT, while the antibacterial activity against P. vulgaris of PLT and MLT was higher than Hawk BT. The contents of the three major flavonoid constituents in samples of Hawk PLT are higher than Hawk BT and Hawk MLT. The mouse postprandial blood glucose levels of the middle dose (0.5 g/kg) group and the high dose (1 g/kg) group with oral administration of the ME of PLT were significantly lower than the control group. What's more, the inhibitory effect of ME of PLT and its EA and n -BuOH fractions on α-glucosidase was significantly higher than that of acarbose. Rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) was used to identify the flavonoids in Hawk PLT, and a total of 20 flavonoids were identified or tentatively identified by comparing their retention times and accurate mass measurements with reference compounds or literature data. The bioactive flavonoid composition and DPPH radical scavenging activities present in different Hawk tea raw materials are quite different due to the different ontogenesis of these raw materials. Further studies on PLT showed that the substances in PLT ME could reduce the level of mouse postprandial blood glucose through inhibiting the activity of α-glucosidase.

Effect of oxytetracycline on biogas production and active microbial populations during batch anaerobic digestion of cow manure.

PubMed

Ince, Bahar; Coban, Halil; Turker, Gokhan; Ertekin, Emine; Ince, Orhan

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a common veterinary antibiotic in biogas plants. 20 mg/kg of oxytetracycline was intramuscularly injected into a cow and its concentration in manure, which was sampled daily during the following 20 days, was measured. A total of 20 % of the injected oxytetracycline was detected in manure. Collected manure samples on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 were digested in triplicate serum bottles at 37 °C for 30 days. Control serum bottles produced 255 ± 13 mL biogas, whereas 50-60 % inhibitions were obtained for the serum bottles operated with samples collected for the 5 days after medication. Multivariate statistics used for the evaluation of FISH results showed that Methanomicrobiales were the main methanogenic group responsible for most of the biogas production. Numbers of active Bacteria and Methanomicrobiales were negatively correlated with the presence of oxytetracycline, whereas Methanosarcinales and Methanobacteriales were less affected.

Effects of gut microbiota and time of treatment on tissue levels of green tea polyphenols in mice.

PubMed

Liu, Anna B; Tao, Siyao; Lee, Mao-Jung; Hu, Qi; Meng, Xiaofeng; Lin, Yong; Yang, Chung S

2018-05-08

The previous studies have shown that tea polyphenols are metabolized by gut microbiota. This study investigated the effect of gut microbiota on the bioavailability, tissue levels, and degradation of tea polyphenols. Mice were treated with antibiotics (ampicillin/sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim) in drinking water and the control mice received water for 11 days, and they were given an AIN93M diet enriched with 0.32% of Polyphenon E. The levels of catechins and their metabolites (if present) in the serum, liver, urine, and fecal samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that treatment with antibiotics significantly increased the levels of the major polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), in serum and liver samples. Antibiotics also raised the levels of some catechins in urine and fecal samples but decreased the levels of their metabolites. These results suggest that antibiotics eliminated gut microbes and increased the bioavailabilities of these tea catechins. In a second study, mice were given different concentrations of green tea infusions as the drinking fluid. The plasma levels of EGCG and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) at day 112 were significantly lower than those at day 5. The urine levels of EGCG and ECG increased in the first 4 or 5 days, and then decreased to much lower levels at day 23 and beyond. In contrast, the levels of (-)-epigallocatechin and (-)-epicatechin showed a trend of increase during the 112-day experiment, likely owing to microbial hydrolysis of EGCG and ECG. Both sets of experiments support the idea that the degradation of EGCG and ECG by gut microbiota decreases their bioavailabilities. © 2018 BioFactors, 2018. © 2018 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Characterization and phenol adsorption performance of activated carbon prepared from tea residue by NaOH activation.

PubMed

Tao, Jun; Huo, Peili; Fu, Zongheng; Zhang, Jin; Yang, Zhen; Zhang, Dengfeng

2017-10-05

The preparation of activated carbon (AC) using tea residue was addressed in this work. The preparation process incorporated two-step pyrolysis and activation using NaOH. The influence of activation temperature between 500°C and 700°C on the properties of the AC sample was investigated. The physicochemical properties of the AC sample were characterized. The results show that the optimum temperature for the activation process is 700°C, which generates the AC sample with higher specific surface area and total pore volume, respectively, of 819 m 2  g -1 and 0.443 cm 3  g -1 . The oxygen-containing functional groups evolve on the AC sample during the activation process. The phenol adsorption test was performed to evaluate the adsorption performance of the AC sample. The adsorption data confirm that phenol adsorption on the AC sample obtained at 700°C follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. Hereby, the electron donor-acceptor interaction mechanism can describe the adsorption process. The AC sample obtained at 700°C performs superior phenol adsorption performance. The maximum phenol adsorption capacity is 320 mg g -1 , which is higher than that of several AC samples reported previously. Thus, the tea residue acts as a good precursor for the AC with promising adsorption capacity by the NaOH chemical activation method.

Development and application of a non-targeted extraction method for the analysis of migrating compounds from plastic baby bottles by GC-MS.

PubMed

Onghena, Matthias; van Hoeck, Els; Vervliet, Philippe; Scippo, Marie Louise; Simon, Coraline; van Loco, Joris; Covaci, Adrian

2014-01-01

In 2011, the European Union prohibited the production of polycarbonate (PC) baby bottles due to the toxic effects of the PC monomer bisphenol-A. Therefore, baby bottles made of alternative materials, e.g. polypropylene (PP) or polyethersulphone (PES), are currently marketed. The principal aim of the study was the identification of major compounds migrating from baby bottles using a liquid-liquid extraction followed by GC/MS analysis. A 50% EtOH in water solution was selected as a simulant for milk. After sterilisation of the bottle, three migration experiments were performed during 2 h at 70°C. A non-targeted liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate-n-hexane (1:1) was performed on the simulant samples. Identification of migrants from 24 baby bottles was done using commercially available WILEY and NIST mass spectra libraries. Differences in the migrating compounds and their intensities were observed between the different types of plastics, but also between the same polymer from a different producer. Differences in the migration patterns were perceived as well between the sterilisation and the migrations and within the different migrations. Silicone, Tritan™ and PP exhibited a wide variety of migrating compounds, whereas PES and polyamide (PA) showed a lower amount of migrants, though sometimes in relatively large concentrations (azacyclotridecan-2-one up to 250 µg kg⁻¹). Alkanes (especially in PP bottles), phthalates (dibutylphthalate in one PP bottle (±40 µg kg⁻¹) and one silicone bottle (±25 µg kg⁻¹); diisobutylphthalate in one PP (±10 µg kg⁻¹), silicone (up to ±80 µg kg⁻¹); and Tritan™ bottle (±30 µg kg⁻¹)), antioxidants (Irgafos 168, degradation products of Irganox 1010 and Irganox 1076), etc. were detected for PP, silicone and Tritan™ bottles. Although the concentrations were relatively low, some compounds not authorised by European Union Regulation No. 10/2011, such as 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (10-100 µg kg⁻¹) or 2-butoxyethyl acetate (about 300 µg kg⁻¹) were detected. Migrating chemicals were identified as confirmed (using a standard) or as tentative (further confirmation required).

'Unfit for human consumption': a study of the contamination of formula milk fed to young children in East Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Gibson, Sarah; Sahanggamu, Daniel; Fatmaningrum, Dewi; Curtis, Val; White, Sian

2017-10-01

To examine levels of bacterial contamination in formula feeding bottles in Sidoarjo, East Java, and to assess the preparation practices that may have been responsible. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 92 randomly selected households with children under the age of two who were bottle-fed formula. In each household, we carried out video observation of mothers/caregivers preparing bottles, and examined samples of formula for coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli). In-depth interviews were conducted with a subsample of 20 mothers. A total of 88% of the formula feeds were contaminated with total coliforms at a level >10 MPN/ml, and 45% contained E. coli. These feeds were defined as 'unfit for human consumption'. In the video observations, none of the mothers complied with all five WHO-recommended measures of hygienic formula feed preparation. Only two mothers washed their hands with soap prior to formula preparation. Most mothers also failed to clean or sterilise the bottle and clean the preparation area. In-depth interviews confirmed that such suboptimal hygiene practices were common. The high levels of contamination found highlight that bottles are an important faecal-oral exposure pathway resulting from poor hygiene practices during bottle preparation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predominant terminal electron accepting processes during organic matter degradation: Spatio-temporal changes in Ashtamudi estuary, Kerala, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, Salom Gnana Thanga; Reshmi, R. R.; Hassan, S. Junaid; Nair, K. Deepa; Varma, Ajayakumar

2017-11-01

Anaerobic microbial communities in the anoxic zones degrade organic matter in estuarine sediments. Thermodynamic energy yield for the oxidation reactions with various electron acceptors decreases in the order of O2> NO3- > Mn4+> Fe3+> SO42- > CO2. The predominant terminal electron accepting (TEA) process has an influence on the biogeochemical cycles of nutrients as well as the production of important greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane from estuarine sediments. The research questions of this study were (1) what are the environmental factors (pH, salinity, organic carbon, sulphate, redox potential) explaining variability in TEA activities such as nitrate reduction rate (NRR), iron reduction rate (IRR), sulphate reduction rate (SRR) and methane production rate (MPR) and (2) which is the predominant TEA process during degradation of organic matter. To determine the TEA activities, sediment samples collected from 13 sampling stations of Ashtamudi estuary during monsoon 2014 and summer 2015 were incubated with sulphate depleted artificial seawater, under anaerobic conditions for 72 h, in microcosms. Spatial variations dominated temporal variations for environmental variables. Nevertheless, biogeochemical processes showed a distinct seasonal variation. Total TEA activity was higher during summer than monsoon, indicating the higher heterotrophic microbial activity favored by high temperature. Individually, SRR was the maximum during summer, while NRR, IRR and MPR were the maximum during monsoon. Sulphate reduction was observed to be the predominant electron accepting process in all sampling stations with cumulative values of 3125.79 and 4046.07 nmol cm-3 day-1 during monsoon and summer respectively. This was followed by NRR, IRR and MPR. Although thermodynamically more favorable, NRR could not predominate due to scarcity of nitrate in sediments. Nevertheless, two-fold and five-fold increase in methanogenesis and denitrification were observed respectively during monsoon in sampling stations, which cannot be ignored, owing to the importance of methane and nitrous oxide as a potent greenhouse gas.

Reliable reference genes for normalization of gene expression data in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) exposed to metal stresses.

PubMed

Wang, Ming-Le; Li, Qing-Hui; Xin, Hua-Hong; Chen, Xuan; Zhu, Xu-Jun; Li, Xing-Hui

2017-01-01

Tea plants [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] are an important leaf-type crop that are widely used for the production of non-alcoholic beverages in the world. Exposure to excessive amounts of heavy metals adversely affects the quality and yield of tea leaves. To analyze the molecular responses of tea plants to heavy metals, a reliable quantification of gene expression is important and of major importance herein is the normalization of the measured expression levels for the target genes. Ideally, stably expressed reference genes should be evaluated in all experimental systems. In this study, 12 candidate reference genes (i.e., 18S rRNA, Actin, CYP, EF-1α, eIF-4α, GAPDH, MON1, PP2AA3, TBP, TIP41, TUA, and UBC) were cloned from tea plants, and the stability of their expression was examined systematically in 60 samples exposed to diverse heavy metals (i.e., manganese, aluminum, copper, iron, and zinc). Three Excel-based algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper) were used to evaluate the expression stability of these genes. PP2AA3 and 18S rRNA were the most stably expressed genes, even though their expression profiles exhibited some variability. Moreover, commonly used reference genes (i.e., GAPDH and TBP) were the least appropriate reference genes for most samples. To further validate the suitability of the analyzed reference genes, the expression level of a phytochelatin synthase gene (i.e., CsPCS1) was determined using the putative reference genes for data normalizations. Our results may be beneficial for future studies involving the quantification of relative gene expression levels in tea plants.

Reliable reference genes for normalization of gene expression data in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) exposed to metal stresses

PubMed Central

Wang, Ming-Le; Li, Qing-Hui; Xin, Hua-Hong; Chen, Xuan; Zhu, Xu-Jun

2017-01-01

Tea plants [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] are an important leaf-type crop that are widely used for the production of non-alcoholic beverages in the world. Exposure to excessive amounts of heavy metals adversely affects the quality and yield of tea leaves. To analyze the molecular responses of tea plants to heavy metals, a reliable quantification of gene expression is important and of major importance herein is the normalization of the measured expression levels for the target genes. Ideally, stably expressed reference genes should be evaluated in all experimental systems. In this study, 12 candidate reference genes (i.e., 18S rRNA, Actin, CYP, EF-1α, eIF-4α, GAPDH, MON1, PP2AA3, TBP, TIP41, TUA, and UBC) were cloned from tea plants, and the stability of their expression was examined systematically in 60 samples exposed to diverse heavy metals (i.e., manganese, aluminum, copper, iron, and zinc). Three Excel-based algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper) were used to evaluate the expression stability of these genes. PP2AA3 and 18S rRNA were the most stably expressed genes, even though their expression profiles exhibited some variability. Moreover, commonly used reference genes (i.e., GAPDH and TBP) were the least appropriate reference genes for most samples. To further validate the suitability of the analyzed reference genes, the expression level of a phytochelatin synthase gene (i.e., CsPCS1) was determined using the putative reference genes for data normalizations. Our results may be beneficial for future studies involving the quantification of relative gene expression levels in tea plants. PMID:28453515

Nitrate but not tea saponin feed additives decreased enteric methane emissions in nonlactating cows.

PubMed

Guyader, J; Eugène, M; Doreau, M; Morgavi, D P; Gérard, C; Loncke, C; Martin, C

2015-11-01

Tea saponin is considered a promising natural compound for reducing enteric methane emissions in ruminants. A trial was conducted to study the effect of this plant extract fed alone or in combination with nitrate on methane emissions, total tract digestive processes, and ruminal characteristics in cattle. The experiment was conducted as a 2 × 2 factorial design with 4 ruminally cannulated nonlactating dairy cows. Feed offer was restricted to 90% of voluntary intake and diets consisted of (DM basis): 1) control (CON; 50% hay and 50% pelleted concentrates), 2) CON with 0.5% tea saponin (TEA), 3) CON with 2.3% nitrate (NIT), and 4) CON with 0.5% tea saponin and 2.3% nitrate (TEA+NIT). Tea saponin and nitrate were included in pelleted concentrates. Diets contained similar amounts of CP (12.2%), starch (26.0%), and NDF (40.1%). Experimental periods lasted 5 wk including 2 wk of measurement (wk 4 and 5), during which intake was measured daily. In wk 4, daily methane emissions were quantified for 4 d using open circuit respiratory chambers. In wk 5, total tract digestibility, N balance, and urinary excretion of purine derivatives were determined from total feces and urine collected separately for 6 d. Ruminal fermentation products and protozoa concentration were analyzed from samples taken after morning feeding for 2 nonconsecutive days in wk 5. Tea saponin and nitrate supplementation decreased feed intake ( < 0.05), with an additive effect when fed in combination. Compared with CON, tea saponin did not modify methane emissions (g/kg DMI; > 0.05), whereas nitrate-containing diets (NIT and TEA+NIT) decreased methanogenesis by 28%, on average ( < 0.001). Total tract digestibility, N balance, and urinary excretion of purine derivatives were similar among diets. Ruminal fermentation products were not affected by tea saponin, whereas nitrate-containing diets increased acetate proportion and decreased butyrate proportion and ammonia concentration ( < 0.05). Under the experimental conditions tested, we confirmed the antimethanogenic effect of nitrate, whereas tea saponin alone included in pelleted concentrates failed to decrease enteric methane emissions in nonlactating dairy cows.

Effects of Exogenous Enzymatic Treatment During Processing on the Sensory Quality of Summer Tieguanyin Oolong Tea from the Chinese Anxi County

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xue-Bo

2015-01-01

Summary In order to attenuate the bitter taste and improve the aroma of the summer tieguanyin oolong tea from the Chinese Anxi county, the effects of processing treatment with exogenous laccase and α-galactosidase on tea sensory quality and related compounds were investigated. The solutions of laccase and/or α-galactosidase were sprayed on the tea leaves before the first drying process. The sensory evaluation results showed that the sensory quality of the tea was significantly enhanced with the enzymatic treatment. The combined application of laccase at 8.25 and α-galactosidase at 22 U per kg of fresh tea shoots achieved the most satisfying sensory quality. Further analysis of flavour-related constituents was carried out by HPLC and GC-MS. The HPLC analysis showed that the contents of catechins and total polyphenols were reduced, compared to the untreated group, by 11.9 and 13.3% respectively, and the total soluble sugars and water extract content were increased by 19.4 and 6.6% respectively, after the treatment with both enzymes. The decrease of catechins and total polyphenols reduced the bitterness and astringency of the summer tea, while the increase of total soluble sugars and water extract content improved the sweetness and mellow taste. The aromatic compound data from GC-MS showed that the total essential oil content in these tea samples co-treated with laccase and α-galactosidase increased significantly, in which aldehydes, alcohols, esters and alkenes increased by 23.28, 37.05, 20.10 and 38.99%, respectively. Our data suggest that the exogenous enzymatic treatment can enhance the summer oolong tea quality, especially its taste and aroma. PMID:27904347

The Effect of Green Tea and Sour Tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Supplementation on Oxidative Stress and Muscle Damage in Athletes.

PubMed

Hadi, Amir; Pourmasoumi, Makan; Kafeshani, Marzieh; Karimian, Jahangir; Maracy, Mohammad Reza; Entezari, Mohammad Hasan

2017-05-04

Additional oxygen consumption during intense exercises may lead to oxidative stress and contribute to muscular fatigue. Green tea and sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), which contain various flavonoids and polyphenols, have many healthful properties such as anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and heart protecting effects. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of green tea and sour tea supplementation on oxidative stress and muscle damage in soccer athletes. This randomized, double-blind control trial was conducted on 54 male soccer players. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups to receive: 450 mg/d green tea extract (GTE) in the first group (n = 18), 450 mg/d sour tea extract (STE) in the second group (n = 18) and 450 mg/d maltodextrin in the control group (n = 18). Fasting whole blood samples were taken under resting conditions at the beginning and the end of the study to quantify the serum levels of muscle damage indices, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and oxidative stress biomarkers, malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). After six weeks intervention, athletes who received GTE and STE supplements compared with the placebo had a significantly decreased MDA level (P = 0.008). Furthermore, STE supplementation resulted in a significant increase in TAC level compared with GTE and placebo groups (P = 0.01). However, supplementation with GTE and STE had no significant effects on muscle damage indices. GTE and STE supplementation have beneficial effects on oxidative stress status in male athletes. However, both kinds of tea extract did not affect muscle damage status.

Greener synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles using green tea extract and their magnetic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karade, V. C.; Waifalkar, P. P.; Dongle, T. D.; Sahoo, Subasa C.; Kollu, P.; Patil, P. S.; Patil, P. B.

2017-09-01

The facile green synthesis method has been employed for the synthesis of biocompatible Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) using green tea extract. The effective reduction of ferric ions (Fe3+) were done using an aqueous green tea extract where it acts as reducing as well as capping agent. The effect of iron precursor to green tea extract ratio and reaction temperature was studied. The MNPs were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and vibrating sample magnetometer. It was observed that the reaction temperature strongly affects the magnetic and structural properties of MNPs. The magnetic measurements study showed that Fe3O4 MNPs are superparamagnetic at 300 K, while at 60 K have ferromagnetic as well as superparamagnetic contributions.

Antioxidant effect of green tea on polymer gel dosimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samuel, E. J. J.; Sathiyaraj, P.; Deena, T.; Kumar, D. S.

2015-01-01

Extract from Green Tea (GTE) acts as an antioxidant in acrylamide based polymer gel dosimeter. In this work, PAGAT gel was used for investigation of antioxidant effect of GTE.PAGAT was called PAGTEG (Polyacrylamide green tea extract gel dosimeter) after adding GTE. Free radicals in water cause pre polymerization of polymer gel before irradiation. Polyphenols from GTE are highly effective to absorb the free radicals in water. THPC is used as an antioxidant in polymer gel dosimeter but here we were replaced it by GTE and investigated its effect by spectrophotometer. GTE added PAGAT samples response was lower compared to THPC added sample. To increase the sensitivity of the PAGTEG, sugar was added. This study confirmed that THPC was a good antioxidant for polymer gel dosimeter. However, GTE also can be used as an antioxidant in polymer gel if use less quantity (GTE) and add sugar as sensitivity enhancer.

Effects of γ-radiation on microbial load and antioxidant proprieties in black tea irradiated with different water activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanaro, G. B.; Hassimotto, N. M. A.; Bastos, D. H. M.; Villavicencio, A. L. C. H.

2014-04-01

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of gamma radiation on black tea irradiated with different water activities. The black tea samples had their Aw adjusted to three values (0.92, 0.65, and 0.18) and were irradiated in 60Co source at doses of 0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 kGy. The methods used were: microbiology, total phenolic compounds quantification, antioxidant activity by ORAC, and quantification of the main antioxidants. It was observed that the greater the amount of free water present in the samples, lower was the dose to achieve microbiological control. Regardless the water activity used, there was no difference in content of the phenolic compounds and at the mainly theaflavins, as well in the antioxidant activity at doses up to 5.0 kGy.

Transoceanic drift and the domestication of African bottle gourds in the Americas.

PubMed

Kistler, Logan; Montenegro, Alvaro; Smith, Bruce D; Gifford, John A; Green, Richard E; Newsom, Lee A; Shapiro, Beth

2014-02-25

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) was one of the first domesticated plants, and the only one with a global distribution during pre-Columbian times. Although native to Africa, bottle gourd was in use by humans in east Asia, possibly as early as 11,000 y ago (BP) and in the Americas by 10,000 BP. Despite its utilitarian importance to diverse human populations, it remains unresolved how the bottle gourd came to be so widely distributed, and in particular how and when it arrived in the New World. A previous study using ancient DNA concluded that Paleoindians transported already domesticated gourds to the Americas from Asia when colonizing the New World [Erickson et al. (2005) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102(51):18315-18320]. However, this scenario requires the propagation of tropical-adapted bottle gourds across the Arctic. Here, we isolate 86,000 base pairs of plastid DNA from a geographically broad sample of archaeological and living bottle gourds. In contrast to the earlier results, we find that all pre-Columbian bottle gourds are most closely related to African gourds, not Asian gourds. Ocean-current drift modeling shows that wild African gourds could have simply floated across the Atlantic during the Late Pleistocene. Once they arrived in the New World, naturalized gourd populations likely became established in the Neotropics via dispersal by megafaunal mammals. These wild populations were domesticated in several distinct New World locales, most likely near established centers of food crop domestication.

Transoceanic drift and the domestication of African bottle gourds in the Americas

PubMed Central

Kistler, Logan; Montenegro, Álvaro; Smith, Bruce D.; Gifford, John A.; Green, Richard E.; Newsom, Lee A.; Shapiro, Beth

2014-01-01

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) was one of the first domesticated plants, and the only one with a global distribution during pre-Columbian times. Although native to Africa, bottle gourd was in use by humans in east Asia, possibly as early as 11,000 y ago (BP) and in the Americas by 10,000 BP. Despite its utilitarian importance to diverse human populations, it remains unresolved how the bottle gourd came to be so widely distributed, and in particular how and when it arrived in the New World. A previous study using ancient DNA concluded that Paleoindians transported already domesticated gourds to the Americas from Asia when colonizing the New World [Erickson et al. (2005) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102(51):18315–18320]. However, this scenario requires the propagation of tropical-adapted bottle gourds across the Arctic. Here, we isolate 86,000 base pairs of plastid DNA from a geographically broad sample of archaeological and living bottle gourds. In contrast to the earlier results, we find that all pre-Columbian bottle gourds are most closely related to African gourds, not Asian gourds. Ocean-current drift modeling shows that wild African gourds could have simply floated across the Atlantic during the Late Pleistocene. Once they arrived in the New World, naturalized gourd populations likely became established in the Neotropics via dispersal by megafaunal mammals. These wild populations were domesticated in several distinct New World locales, most likely near established centers of food crop domestication. PMID:24516122

Gene expression analysis of bud and leaf color in tea.

PubMed

Wei, Kang; Zhang, Yazhen; Wu, Liyun; Li, Hailin; Ruan, Li; Bai, Peixian; Zhang, Chengcai; Zhang, Fen; Xu, Liyi; Wang, Liyuan; Cheng, Hao

2016-10-01

Purple shoot tea attributing to the high anthocyanin accumulation is of great interest for its wide health benefits. To better understand potential mechanisms involved in purple buds and leaves formation in tea plants, we performed transcriptome analysis of six green or purple shoot tea individuals from a F1 population using the Illumina sequencing method. Totally 292 million RNA-Seq reads were obtained and assembled into 112,233 unigenes, with an average length of 759 bp and an N50 of 1081 bp. Moreover, totally 2193 unigenes showed significant differences in expression levels between green and purple tea samples, with 1143 up- and 1050 down-regulated in the purple teas. Further real time PCR analysis confirmed RNA-Seq results. Our study identified 28 differentially expressed transcriptional factors and A CsMYB gene was found to be highly similar to AtPAP1 in Arabidopsis. Further analysis of differentially expressed genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and transportation showed that the late biosynthetic genes and genes involved in anthocyanin transportation were largely affected but the early biosynthetic genes were less or none affected. Overall, the identification of a large number of differentially expressed genes offers a global view of the potential mechanisms associated with purple buds and leaves formation, which will facilitate molecular breeding in tea plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Stability of ondansetron hydrochloride injection in various beverages.

PubMed

Yamreudeewong, W; Danthi, S N; Hill, R A; Fox, J L

1995-09-15

The stability of ondansetron hydrochloride injection in beverages likely to be acceptable to patients was studied. Ondansetron hydrochloride injection (containing ondansetron 2 mg/mL) was added to apple juice, fruit punch, cherry-flavored drink, carbonated soft drinks, and hot tea to provide a nominal ondansetron concentration of 32.8, 64.5, or 95.2 micrograms/mL. Samples were stored at -3 to 28 degrees C (noncarbonated-beverage mixtures except tea), 2 to 28 degrees C (carbonated-beverage mixtures), and 25 degrees C (tea) and assayed for ondansetron concentration by high-performance liquid chromatography at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours (noncarbonated-beverage mixtures except tea); 6, 24, and 48 hours (carbonated-beverage mixtures); and 1 hour (tea). More than 95% of the initial ondansetron concentration was retained in apple juice, fruit punch, cherry-flavored drink, Sprite, and Diet Coke throughout the periods studied. A precipitate formed immediately after ondansetron was added to hot tea, but the drug was chemically stable for at least one hour in this preparation. Ondansetron hydrochloride injection 32.7, 64.5, and 95.2 micrograms/mL (expressed as free base) was stable in various beverages when stored at -3 to 28 degrees C for up to 72 hours. Ondansetron at these same concentrations precipitated in hot tea preparations but was chemically stable for at least one hour.

Development of a partial least squares-artificial neural network (PLS-ANN) hybrid model for the prediction of consumer liking scores of ready-to-drink green tea beverages.

PubMed

Yu, Peigen; Low, Mei Yin; Zhou, Weibiao

2018-01-01

In order to develop products that would be preferred by consumers, the effects of the chemical compositions of ready-to-drink green tea beverages on consumer liking were studied through regression analyses. Green tea model systems were prepared by dosing solutions of 0.1% green tea extract with differing concentrations of eight flavour keys deemed to be important for green tea aroma and taste, based on a D-optimal experimental design, before undergoing commercial sterilisation. Sensory evaluation of the green tea model system was carried out using an untrained consumer panel to obtain hedonic liking scores of the samples. Regression models were subsequently trained to objectively predict the consumer liking scores of the green tea model systems. A linear partial least squares (PLS) regression model was developed to describe the effects of the eight flavour keys on consumer liking, with a coefficient of determination (R 2 ) of 0.733, and a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 3.53%. The PLS model was further augmented with an artificial neural network (ANN) to establish a PLS-ANN hybrid model. The established hybrid model was found to give a better prediction of consumer liking scores, based on its R 2 (0.875) and RMSE (2.41%). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linear Regression between CIE-Lab Color Parameters and Organic Matter in Soils of Tea Plantations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yonggen; Zhang, Min; Fan, Dongmei; Fan, Kai; Wang, Xiaochang

2018-02-01

To quantify the relationship between the soil organic matter and color parameters using the CIE-Lab system, 62 soil samples (0-10 cm, Ferralic Acrisols) from tea plantations were collected from southern China. After air-drying and sieving, numerical color information and reflectance spectra of soil samples were measured under laboratory conditions using an UltraScan VIS (HunterLab) spectrophotometer equipped with CIE-Lab color models. We found that soil total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TN) contents were negatively correlated with the L* value (lightness) ( r = -0.84 and -0.80, respectively), a* value (correlation coefficient r = -0.51 and -0.46, respectively) and b* value ( r = -0.76 and -0.70, respectively). There were also linear regressions between TOC and TN contents with the L* value and b* value. Results showed that color parameters from a spectrophotometer equipped with CIE-Lab color models can predict TOC contents well for soils in tea plantations. The linear regression model between color values and soil organic carbon contents showed it can be used as a rapid, cost-effective method to evaluate content of soil organic matter in Chinese tea plantations.

Separation and identification of twelve catechins in tea using liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zeeb, D J; Nelson, B C; Albert, K; Dalluge, J J

2000-10-15

A method has been developed for the direct microscale determination of 12 catechins in green and black tea infusions. The method is based on liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC/APCI-MS). Standard catechin mixtures and tea infusions were analyzed by LC/APCI-MS with detection of protonated molecular ions and characteristic fragment ions for each compound. The identities of eight major catechins and caffeine in tea were established based on LC retention times and simultaneously recorded mass spectra. In addition, monitoring of the catechin-specific retro Diels-Alder fragment ion at m/z 139 throughout the chromatogram provided a unique fingerprint for catechin content in the samples that led to the identification of four minor chemically modified catechin derivatives in the infusions. This report is the first to describe the comprehensive determination of all 12 reported catechins in a single analysis. The utility of LC/APCI-MS for providing routine separation and identification of catechins at femtomole to low-picomole levels without extraction or sample pretreatment, and its potential as a standard analytical tool for the determination of polyphenols in natural products and biological fluids, are discussed.

Effects of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed oil press-cake and decaffeinated green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) on functional characteristics of gluten-free crackers.

PubMed

Radočaj, Olga; Dimić, Etelka; Tsao, Rong

2014-03-01

A mixture, simplex centroid, 2 components experimental design was used to evaluate the addition of hemp seed oil press-cake and decaffeinated green tea leaves, as functional ingredients to assess nutritional characteristics and antioxidant properties of gluten-free crackers. All samples with added hemp flour had much better nutritional qualities than the brown rice flour crackers in terms of higher protein, crude fibers, minerals, and essential fatty acids content. Likewise, all samples with added decaffeinated green tea leaves had much better antioxidant properties than crackers with no added green tea leaves. All crackers with added hemp flour had a significantly increased fiber content (39% to 249%) and decreased carbohydrate content (8.4% to 42.3%), compared to the brown rice flour crackers. All samples had antioxidant properties, even without the addition of green tea leaves. Optimization of the responses was conducted based on the maximized values for protein, fibers, omega-3 fatty acids content, as well as for the antioxidant activity and overall score. The suggested values for the addition of the hemp oil press-cake was 20% (total flour weight) with 4 g of decaffeinated green tea leaves that would provide protein content of 14.1 g/100 g; fibers content of 8.4 g/100 g; omega-3 fatty acids content of 3.2 g/100 g; antioxidant activity measured via 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl value of 30.3 μmol TE/g d.w.; and an overall score of 8.9. This formulation has demonstrated potential application in the baking industry and marketing of these gluten-free crackers as a value-added functional product. Hemp seed oil press-cake as a by-product of cold-pressed oil processing and brown rice flour were used to design a functional gluten-free snack-type product-savory crackers. All crackers were high in minerals, fibers, and omega-3 fatty acids with a desirable omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids ratio. Green tea leaves were added to improve antioxidant activity, which greatly contributed to their functional properties. This qualified the crackers as a healthy snack with a minimal content saturated fatty acids and an abundance of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids that originated from chia seeds residual oil present in the hemp flour. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Occurrence of bisphenol A in surface water, drinking water and plasma from Malaysia with exposure assessment from consumption of drinking water.

PubMed

Santhi, V A; Sakai, N; Ahmad, E D; Mustafa, A M

2012-06-15

This study investigated the level of bisphenol A (BPA) in surface water used as potable water, drinking water (tap and bottled mineral water) and human plasma in the Langat River basin, Malaysia. BPA was present in 93% of the surface water samples at levels ranging from below limit of quantification (LOQ; 1.3 ng/L) to 215 ng/L while six fold higher levels were detected in samples collected near industrial and municipal sewage treatment plant outlets. Low levels of BPA were detected in most of the drinking water samples. BPA in tap water ranged from 3.5 to 59.8 ng/L with the highest levels detected in samples collected from taps connected to PVC pipes and water filter devices. Bottled mineral water had lower levels of BPA (3.3±2.6 ng/L) although samples stored in poor storage condition had significantly higher levels (11.3±5.3 ng/L). Meanwhile, only 17% of the plasma samples had detectable levels of BPA ranging from 0.81 to 3.65 ng/mL. The study shows that BPA is a ubiquitous contaminant in surface, tap and bottled mineral water. However, exposure to BPA from drinking water is very low and is less than 0.01% of the tolerable daily intake (TDI). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality comparison of tap water vs. bottled water in the industrial city of Yanbu (Saudi Arabia).

PubMed

Ahmad, Maqbool; Bajahlan, Ahmad S

2009-12-01

This study was conducted to compare the quality of bottled water with potabilized desalinated tap water. Fourteen brands of local and imported bottled water samples were collected from the local market and analyzed for physicochemical parameters in the Royal Commission Environmental Laboratory. Results were compared with 5-year continuous monitoring data of tap water from different locations in Madinat Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah (MYAS) including storage tanks of desalination plant. Results show that there was no significant difference in the quality of tap water and bottled water. Bacteriological test was never found positive in the 5-year data in tap water. Similarly, physicochemical analysis shows the persistent quality of tap water. Based on hardness analysis, bottled and tap water are categorized as soft water. Trihalomethanes (THMs) study also indicates that traces of disinfection by products (DBPs) are present in both tap and bottled water and are much less than the World Health Organization and Environmental Protection Agency maximum permissible limits. It is also important to note that the tap water distribution network in MAYS is a high-pressure recirculation network and there is no chance to grow bacteria in stagnant water in pipe lines or houses. Recently, the Royal Commission has replaced the whole drinking water network, which was made of asbestos-cemented pipes with glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) pipes, to avoid any asbestos contaminations. Based on these results, it is concluded that drinking water distributed in the city is of very good and persistent quality, comparable with bottled water. Continuous monitoring also guarantees the safe drinking water to the community. Hence, it is the responsibility of the Royal Commission to encourage the peoples in the city to drink tap water as it is as good as bottled water even better than some of the brands and is monitored regularly. It is also much cheaper compared to bottled water and is available round the clock. Preference for tap water over bottled water will also reduce the production of bottled water that has flooded the market, the enormous strain on the environment, and the pollution due to used empty plastic bottles in the landfill area and will help to keep the city clean.

Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of whole-water recoverable arsenic, boron, and vanadium using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garbarino, John R.

2000-01-01

Analysis of in-bottle digestate by using the inductively coupled plasma?mass spectrometric (ICP?MS) method has been expanded to include arsenic, boron, and vanadium. Whole-water samples are digested by using either the hydrochloric acid in-bottle digestion procedure or the nitric acid in-bottle digestion procedure. When the hydrochloric acid in-bottle digestion procedure is used, chloride must be removed from the digestate by subboiling evaporation before arsenic and vanadium can be accurately determined. Method detection limits for these elements are now 10 to 100 times lower than U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) methods using hydride generation? atomic absorption spectrophotometry (HG? AAS) and inductively coupled plasma? atomic emission spectrometry (ICP?AES), thus providing lower variability at ambient concentrations. The bias and variability of the methods were determined by using results from spike recoveries, standard reference materials, and validation samples. Spike recoveries in reagent-water, surface-water, ground-water, and whole-water recoverable matrices averaged 90 percent for seven replicates; spike recoveries were biased from 25 to 35 percent low for the ground-water matrix because of the abnormally high iron concentration. Results for reference material were within one standard deviation of the most probable value. There was no significant difference between the results from ICP?MS and HG?AAS or ICP?AES methods for the natural whole-water samples that were analyzed.

Foam separation of Rhodamine-G and Evans Blue using a simple separatory bottle system.

PubMed

Dasarathy, Dhweeja; Ito, Yoichiro

2017-09-29

A simple separatory glass bottle was used to improve separation effectiveness and cost efficiency while simultaneously creating a simpler system for separating biological compounds. Additionally, it was important to develop a scalable separation method so this would be applicable to both analytical and preparative separations. Compared to conventional foam separation methods, this method easily forms stable dry foam which ensures high purity of yielded fractions. A negatively charged surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was used as the ligand to carry a positively charged Rhodamine-G, leaving a negatively charged Evans Blue in the bottle. The performance of the separatory bottle was tested for separating Rhodamine-G from Evans Blue with sample sizes ranged from 1 to 12mg in preparative separations and 1-20μg in analytical separations under optimum conditions. These conditions including N 2 gas pressure, spinning speed of contents with a magnetic stirrer, concentration of the ligand, volume of the solvent, and concentration of the sample, were all modified and optimized. Based on the calculations at their peak absorbances, Rhodamine-G and Evans Blue were efficiently separated in times ranging from 1h to 3h, depending on sample volume. Optimal conditions were found to be 60psi N 2 pressure and 2mM SDS for the affinity ligand. This novel separation method will allow for rapid separation of biological compounds while simultaneously being scalable and cost effective. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Boron exposure assessment using drinking water and urine in the North of Chile.

PubMed

Cortes, S; Reynaga-Delgado, E; Sancha, A M; Ferreccio, C

2011-12-01

Boron is an essential trace element for plants and humans however it is still an open question what levels of boron are actually safe for humans. This study, conducted between 2006 and 2010, measured exposure levels of boron in drinking water and urine of volunteers in Arica, an area in the North of Chile with high levels of naturally occurring boron. Samples were taken of tap and bottled water (173 and 22, respectively), as well as urine from 22 volunteers, and subsequently analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Boron varied in public tap water from 0.22 to 11.3mgL(-1), with a median value of 2.9mgL(-1), while concentrations of boron in bottled water varied from 0.01 to 12.2mgL(-1). Neither tap nor bottled water samples had concentrations of boron within WHO recommended limits. The concentration of boron in urine varied between 0.45 and 17.4mgL(-1), with a median of 4.28mgL(-1) and was found to be correlated with tap water sampled from the homes of the volunteers (r=0.64). Authors highly recommend that in northern Chile - where levels of boron are naturally high - that the tap and bottled water supplies be monitored in order to protect public health and that regulatory standards also be established for boron in drinking water in order to limit exposure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of chiral derivatization for the determination of dichlorprop in tea samples by ultra performance LC with fluorescence detection.

PubMed

Inoue, Koichi; Prayoonhan, Nuntawat; Tsutsui, Haruhito; Sakamoto, Tasuku; Nishimura, Maiko; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa

2013-04-01

Dichlorprop is available for agricultural use as a chiral pesticide. In this study, the stereoselective determination of dichlorprop enantiomers in tea samples such as green, black, jasmine, and oolong was developed by ultra performance LC with fluorescence spectrometry after covalent chiral derivatization. The separation was achieved on an Acquity BEH C18 column with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile/water at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. In the covalent chiral derivatization using (S)-(+)-4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-(3-aminopyrrolidin-1-yl)-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole, the peak resolution between the S and R-dichlorprop enantiomers was 2.6. LODs and LOQs values were 10 and 50 ng/mL standard solution. The linearity of the calibration curves yielded the coefficients (r(2) > 0.99, ranging from 0.05 to 5 μg/mL) of determination of each of the dichlorprop enantiomers. SPE extraction was used for the sample preparation of dichlorprop in various tea samples. Recoveries were in the range of 82.4-97.6% with associated precision values (within-day: 82.4-95.8%, n = 6, and between-day: 83.7-97.6% for 3 days) for repeatability and reproducibility. Based on this result, our method has been proven to be highly efficient and suitable for the routine assay of dichlorprop enantiomers in various tea samples. We propose that the ultra performance LC assay after covalent chiral derivatization would be the renewed tools in the era of chiral stationary platform for chiral pesticide residues in foods. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fungal decay and shelf life of oranges coated with chitosan and bergamot, thyme, and tea tree essential oils.

PubMed

Cháfer, M; Sánchez-González, L; González-Martínez, Ch; Chiralt, A

2012-08-01

Chitosan coatings, containing or not essential oils (bergamot, thyme and tea tree oil), were applied to oranges (cv. Navel Powell). Antifungal effect was evaluated by applying coatings before and after inoculating the fruit with Penicillium italicum CECT 2294 (10(5) spores/mL), preventive and curative treatments, respectively. The effect of coatings on the quality parameters (acidity, pH, soluble solids, juice percentage, weight loss, firmness, color parameters, and respiration rate) was controlled for the different oranges samples throughout the cold storage time. Preventive antimicrobial treatments with coatings containing tea tree oil were the most effective with a reduction of the microbial growth (expressed as the percentage of infected samples) of 50%, as compared to the uncoated samples. The coatings did not lead to any relevant changes in the development of the sample quality parameters throughout the cold storage, except for a slightly reduced loss of both weight and firmness when the coatings contained bergamot oil. Results of this study are a useful tool for the development of new environmental friendly and healthier commercial applications in the control of the main postharvest fungal decay of citrus fruits. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Linden flower (Tilia spp.) as potential vehicle of Clostridium botulinum spores in the transmission of infant botulism.

PubMed

Bianco, M I; Lúquez, C; De Jong, L I T; Fernández, R A

2009-01-01

Infant botulism is an intestinal toxemia caused principally by Clostridium botulinum. Since the infection occurs in the intestinal tract, numerous food products have been investigated for the presence of C. botulinum and its neurotoxins. In many countries, people use linden flower (Tilia spp) tea as a household remedy and give it to infants as a sedative. Therefore, to help provide a clear picture of this disease transmission, we investigated the presence of botulinum spores in linden flowers. In this study, we analyzed 100 samples of unwrapped linden flowers and 100 samples of linden flowers in tea bags to determine the prevalence and spore-load of C. botulinum. Results were analyzed by the Fisher test. We detected a prevalence of 3% of botulinum spores in the unwrapped linden flowers analyzed and a spore load of 30 spores per 100 grams. None of the industrialized linden flowers analyzed were contaminated with botulinum spores. C. botulinum type A was identified in two samples and type B in one sample. Linden flowers must be considered a potential vehicle of C. botulinum, and the ingestion of linden flower tea can represent a risk factor for infant botulism.

Capillary electrophoresis fingerprinting and spectrophotometric determination of antioxidant potential for classification of Mentha products.

PubMed

Roblová, Vendula; Bittová, Miroslava; Kubáň, Petr; Kubáň, Vlastimil

2016-07-01

In this work aqueous infusions from ten Mentha herbal samples (four different Mentha species and six hybrids of Mentha x piperita) and 20 different peppermint teas were screened by capillary electrophoresis with UV detection. The fingerprint separation was accomplished in a 25 mM borate background electrolyte with 10% methanol at pH 9.3. The total polyphenolic content in the extracts was determined spectrophotometrically at 765 nm by a Folin-Ciocalteu phenol assay. Total antioxidant activity was determined by scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical at 515 nm. The peak areas of 12 dominant peaks from CE analysis, present in all samples, and the value of total polyphenolic content and total antioxidant activity obtained by spectrophotometry was combined into a single data matrix and principal component analysis was applied. The obtained principal component analysis model resulted in distinct clusters of Mentha and peppermint tea samples distinguishing the samples according to their potential protective antioxidant effect. Principal component analysis, using a non-targeted approach with no need for compound identification, was found as a new promising tool for the screening of herbal tea products. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Quantitation of biomarkers of exposure to nitrogen mustards in urine from rats dosed with nitrogen mustards and from an unexposed human population.

PubMed

Lemire, Sharon W; Barr, John R; Ashley, David L; Olson, Carl T; Hayes, Timothy L

2004-01-01

The nitrogen mustards bis(2-chloroethyl)ethylamine (HN1), bis(2-chloroethyl)methylamine (HN2), and tris(2-chloroethyl)amine (HN3) have the potential to be used as chemical terrorism agents because of their extreme vesicant properties. We modified a previously reported method to incorporate automated solid-phase extraction, improve chromatography, and include the urinary metabolite for HN3. The improved method was used to measure levels of the urinary metabolites N-ethyldiethanolamine (EDEA), N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), and triethanolamine (TEA) in rats dosed with HN1, HN2, and HN3, respectively, and to establish background levels of EDEA, MDEA, and TEA in human urine samples from a population with no known exposure to nitrogen mustards. Rat dosing experiments confirmed that EDEA, MDEA, and TEA could be detected in urine for at least 48 h after exposure to HN1, HN2, and HN3, respectively. Substantial amounts of EDEA (89 ng/mL), MDEA (170 ng/mL), and TEA (1105 ng/mL) were measured in the urine of rats exposed to 10 mg HN1, HN2, and HN3, respectively, 48 h after exposure. The background concentrations for TEA in the human population ranged from below the limit of detection (LOD 3 ng/mL) to approximately 6500 ng/mL. Neither EDEA (LOD 0.4 ng/mL) nor MDEA (LOD 0.8 ng/mL) was detected above the LOD in the human samples.

The analysis of aroma/flavor compounds in green tea using ice concentration linked with extractive stirrer.

PubMed

Alluhayb, Abdullah H; Logue, Brian A

2017-10-06

Worldwide, green tea is one of the most popular beverages. It promotes blood circulation, liver function, and lowers the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This drink is characterized by the distinctive odors and flavors produced by its constituent compounds, with its value predicated on the amount and type of constituents extracted from the tea leaves during brewing. Ice concentration linked with extractive stirrer (ICECLES) is a novel sample preparation technique, especially applicable for the extraction of relatively polar compounds while retaining excellent extraction efficiencies for non-polar compounds. In this study, ICECLES was used to prepare green tea for analysis of aroma/flavor compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). ICECLES performed very well, revealing 301 constituents as compared to 245 for SBSE (i.e., 56 more constituents were detected via ICECLES). Moreover, ICECLES produced stronger signal to noise ratios for all except 4 of 301 constituents, with a maximum signal enhancement of 19. Of the constituents which were only detectable using ICECLES, some very important aroma/flavor and/or medicinal compounds were easily identified, including furfural, furfural alcohol, maltol, eugenol, 2-methylpyrazine, phenethyl alcohol, 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, and α-terpineol. Overall, we confirmed that ICECLES sample preparation followed by GC-MS consistently allowed more complete green tea aroma/flavor analysis, especially for relatively polar compounds, some of which are critical for flavor quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of extreme climate events on tea (Camellia sinensis) functional quality validate indigenous farmer knowledge and sensory preferences in tropical China.

PubMed

Ahmed, Selena; Stepp, John Richard; Orians, Colin; Griffin, Timothy; Matyas, Corene; Robbat, Albert; Cash, Sean; Xue, Dayuan; Long, Chunlin; Unachukwu, Uchenna; Buckley, Sarabeth; Small, David; Kennelly, Edward

2014-01-01

Climate change is impacting agro-ecosystems, crops, and farmer livelihoods in communities worldwide. While it is well understood that more frequent and intense climate events in many areas are resulting in a decline in crop yields, the impact on crop quality is less acknowledged, yet it is critical for food systems that benefit both farmers and consumers through high-quality products. This study examines tea (Camellia sinensis; Theaceae), the world's most widely consumed beverage after water, as a study system to measure effects of seasonal precipitation variability on crop functional quality and associated farmer knowledge, preferences, and livelihoods. Sampling was conducted in a major tea producing area of China during an extreme drought through the onset of the East Asian Monsoon in order to capture effects of extreme climate events that are likely to become more frequent with climate change. Compared to the spring drought, tea growth during the monsoon period was up to 50% higher. Concurrently, concentrations of catechin and methylxanthine secondary metabolites, major compounds that determine tea functional quality, were up to 50% lower during the monsoon while total phenolic concentrations and antioxidant activity increased. The inverse relationship between tea growth and concentrations of individual secondary metabolites suggests a dilution effect of precipitation on tea quality. The decrease in concentrations of tea secondary metabolites was accompanied by reduced farmer preference on the basis of sensory characteristics as well as a decline of up to 50% in household income from tea sales. Farmer surveys indicate a high degree of agreement regarding climate patterns and the effects of precipitation on tea yields and quality. Extrapolating findings from this seasonal study to long-term climate scenario projections suggests that farmers and consumers face variable implications with forecasted precipitation scenarios and calls for research on management practices to facilitate climate adaptation for sustainable crop production.

Tea, but not coffee consumption, is associated with components of arterial pressure. The Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors study in Luxembourg.

PubMed

Alkerwi, Ala'a; Sauvageot, Nicolas; Crichton, Georgina E; Elias, Merrill F

2015-07-01

There is uncertainty regarding the impact of tea and coffee consumption on arterial blood pressure. The present study aimed to examine the association between blood pressure (BP) components, namely, systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure (PP), and tea or coffee consumption, taking into account simultaneous consumption. The study population was derived from a national cross-sectional stratified sample of 1352 individuals aged 18 to 69 years, recruited between November 2007 and January 2009 to participate in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg study. We hypothesized that greater tea consumption would be independently associated with lower BP. Tea and coffee consumptions in deciliters per day were obtained from a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Participants were classified into 3 groups: nonconsumers, ≤3-dL/d consumers, and >3-dL/d consumers of each beverage separately. After exclusion of subjects taking antihypertensive medications, several general linear models were performed to investigate the independent relationship between tea/coffee consumption and BP components. Tea consumers (36.3%) were more likely to be younger women, nonsmokers, with better cardiometabolic profiles, and less frequent chronic pathologies, whereas the reverse was true for coffee consumers (88%). Greater tea consumption was associated with lower SBP and PP values, after adjustment for age, sex, education, lifestyle, and dietary confounding factors, including coffee drinking. No association between BP components and coffee consumption was observed. Daily consumption of 1 dL of tea was associated with a significant reduction of SBP by 0.6 mm Hg and PP by 0.5 mm Hg. Given the widespread consumption of tea and coffee throughout the world, together with the major cardiovascular disease risk, our findings have important implications for human health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Extreme Climate Events on Tea (Camellia sinensis) Functional Quality Validate Indigenous Farmer Knowledge and Sensory Preferences in Tropical China

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Selena; Stepp, John Richard; Orians, Colin; Griffin, Timothy; Matyas, Corene; Robbat, Albert; Cash, Sean; Xue, Dayuan; Long, Chunlin; Unachukwu, Uchenna; Buckley, Sarabeth; Small, David; Kennelly, Edward

2014-01-01

Climate change is impacting agro-ecosystems, crops, and farmer livelihoods in communities worldwide. While it is well understood that more frequent and intense climate events in many areas are resulting in a decline in crop yields, the impact on crop quality is less acknowledged, yet it is critical for food systems that benefit both farmers and consumers through high-quality products. This study examines tea (Camellia sinensis; Theaceae), the world's most widely consumed beverage after water, as a study system to measure effects of seasonal precipitation variability on crop functional quality and associated farmer knowledge, preferences, and livelihoods. Sampling was conducted in a major tea producing area of China during an extreme drought through the onset of the East Asian Monsoon in order to capture effects of extreme climate events that are likely to become more frequent with climate change. Compared to the spring drought, tea growth during the monsoon period was up to 50% higher. Concurrently, concentrations of catechin and methylxanthine secondary metabolites, major compounds that determine tea functional quality, were up to 50% lower during the monsoon while total phenolic concentrations and antioxidant activity increased. The inverse relationship between tea growth and concentrations of individual secondary metabolites suggests a dilution effect of precipitation on tea quality. The decrease in concentrations of tea secondary metabolites was accompanied by reduced farmer preference on the basis of sensory characteristics as well as a decline of up to 50% in household income from tea sales. Farmer surveys indicate a high degree of agreement regarding climate patterns and the effects of precipitation on tea yields and quality. Extrapolating findings from this seasonal study to long-term climate scenario projections suggests that farmers and consumers face variable implications with forecasted precipitation scenarios and calls for research on management practices to facilitate climate adaptation for sustainable crop production. PMID:25286362

Bacteriological and Physical Quality of Locally Packaged Drinking Water in Kampala, Uganda

PubMed Central

Halage, Abdullah Ali; Ssemugabo, Charles; Ssemwanga, David K.; Musoke, David; Mugambe, Richard K.; Guwatudde, David; Ssempebwa, John C.

2015-01-01

Objective. To assess the bacteriological and physical quality of locally packaged drinking water sold for public consumption. Methods. This was cross-sectional study where a total of 60 samples of bottled water from 10 brands and 30 samples of sachet water from 15 brands purchased randomly were analyzed for bacteriological contamination (total coliform and faecal coliform per 100 mL) using membrane filtrate method and reported in terms of cfu/100 mL. Results. Both bottled water and sachet water were not contaminated with faecal coliform. Majority (70%, 21/30) of the sachet water analyzed exceeded acceptable limits of 0 total coliforms per 100 mL set by WHO and the national drinking water standards. The physical quality (turbidity and pH) of all the packaged water brands analyzed was within the acceptable limits. There was statistically significant difference between the median count of total coliform in both sachet water and bottled water brands (U(24) = 37.0, p = 0.027). Conclusion. Both bottled water and sachet water were not contaminated with faecal coliforms; majority of sachet water was contaminated with total coliform above acceptable limits. Government and other stakeholders should consider intensifying surveillance activities and enforcing strict hygienic measures in this rapidly expanding industry to improve packaged water quality. PMID:26508915

Bacteriological and physical quality of locally packaged drinking water in Kampala, Uganda.

PubMed

Halage, Abdullah Ali; Ssemugabo, Charles; Ssemwanga, David K; Musoke, David; Mugambe, Richard K; Guwatudde, David; Ssempebwa, John C

2015-01-01

To assess the bacteriological and physical quality of locally packaged drinking water sold for public consumption. This was cross-sectional study where a total of 60 samples of bottled water from 10 brands and 30 samples of sachet water from 15 brands purchased randomly were analyzed for bacteriological contamination (total coliform and faecal coliform per 100 mL) using membrane filtrate method and reported in terms of cfu/100 mL. Both bottled water and sachet water were not contaminated with faecal coliform. Majority (70%, 21/30) of the sachet water analyzed exceeded acceptable limits of 0 total coliforms per 100 mL set by WHO and the national drinking water standards. The physical quality (turbidity and pH) of all the packaged water brands analyzed was within the acceptable limits. There was statistically significant difference between the median count of total coliform in both sachet water and bottled water brands (U(24) = 37.0, p = 0.027). Both bottled water and sachet water were not contaminated with faecal coliforms; majority of sachet water was contaminated with total coliform above acceptable limits. Government and other stakeholders should consider intensifying surveillance activities and enforcing strict hygienic measures in this rapidly expanding industry to improve packaged water quality.

A Low Cost/Low Power Open Source Sensor System for Automated Tuberculosis Drug Susceptibility Testing

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyukwang; Kim, Hyeong Keun; Lim, Hwijoon; Myung, Hyun

2016-01-01

In this research an open source, low power sensor node was developed to check the growth of mycobacteria in a culture bottle with a nitrate reductase assay method for a drug susceptibility test. The sensor system reports the temperature and color sensor output frequency change of the culture bottle when the device is triggered. After the culture process is finished, a nitrite ion detecting solution based on a commercial nitrite ion detection kit is injected into the culture bottle by a syringe pump to check bacterial growth by the formation of a pigment by the reaction between the solution and the color sensor. Sensor status and NRA results are broadcasted via a Bluetooth low energy beacon. An Android application was developed to collect the broadcasted data, classify the status of cultured samples from multiple devices, and visualize the data for the end users, circumventing the need to examine each culture bottle manually during a long culture period. The authors expect that usage of the developed sensor will decrease the cost and required labor for handling large amounts of patient samples in local health centers in developing countries. All 3D-printerable hardware parts, a circuit diagram, and software are available online. PMID:27338406

Nuclear Archeology in a Bottle: Evidence of Pre-Trinity U.S. Weapons Activities from a Waste Burial Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwantes, Jon M.; Douglas, Matthew; Bonde, Steven E.

2009-02-15

During World War II, the Hanford Site in Washington was chosen for plutonium production. In 2004, a bottle containing a sample of plutonium was recovered from a Hanford waste trench. Isotopic age dating indicated the sample was separated from the fuel pellet 64 ±2.8 years earlier. Detectable products of secondary nuclear reactions, such as 22Na, proved useful as 1) a detectable analog for alpha emitting actinides, 2) an indicator of sample splitting, and 3) a measure of the time since sample splitting. The sample origin was identified as the X-10 reactor, Oak Ridge, TN. Corroborated by historical documents, we concludedmore » this sample was part of the first batch of Pu separated at T-Plant, Hanford, the world’s first industrial-scale reprocessing facility, on December 9, 1944.« less

Detection of Total Phenol in Green and Black Teas by Flow Injection System and Unmodified Screen Printed Electrode

PubMed Central

de Mattos, Ivanildo Luiz; Zagal, José Heraclito

2010-01-01

A flow injection system using an unmodified gold screen-printed electrode was employed for total phenol determination in black and green teas. In order to avoid passivation of the electrode surface due to the redox reaction, preoxidation of the sample was realized by hexacyanoferrate(III) followed by addition of an EDTA solution. The complex formed in the presence of EDTA minimizes or avoids polymerization of the oxidized phenols. The previously filtered tea sample and hexacyanoferrate(III) reagent were introduced simultaneously into two-carrier streams producing two reproducible zones. At confluence point, the pre-oxidation of the phenolic compounds occurs while this zone flows through the coiled reactor and receives the EDTA solution before phenol detection. The consumption of ferricyanide was monitorized at 360 mV versus Ag/AgCl and reflected the total amount of phenolic compounds present in the sample. Results were reported as gallic acid equivalents (GAEs). The proposed system is robust, versatile, environmentally-friendly (since the reactive is used only in the presence of the sample), and allows the analysis of about 35–40 samples per hour with detection limit = 1 mg/L without the necessity for surface cleaning after each measurement. Precise results are in agreement with those obtained by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. PMID:21461407

Determination of trace/ultratrace rare earth elements in environmental samples by ICP-MS after magnetic solid phase extraction with Fe3O4@SiO2@polyaniline-graphene oxide composite.

PubMed

Su, Shaowei; Chen, Beibei; He, Man; Hu, Bin; Xiao, Zuowei

2014-02-01

A novel Fe3O4@SiO2@polyaniline-graphene oxide composite (MPANI-GO) was prepared through a simple noncovalent method and applied to magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) of trace rare earth elements (REEs) in tea leaves and environmental water samples followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. The prepared MPANI-GO was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. Various parameters affecting MPANI-GO MSPE of REEs have been investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs, 3σ) for REEs were in the range of 0.04-1.49 ng L(-1) and the relative standard deviations (RSDs, c=20 ng L(-1), n=7) were 1.7-6.5%. The accuracy of the proposed method was validated by analyzing a Certified Reference Material of GBW 07605 tea leaves. The method was also successfully applied for the determination of trace REEs in tea leaves and environmental water samples. The developed MPANI-GO MSPE-ICP-MS method has the advantages of simplicity, rapidity, high sensitivity, high enrichment factor and is suitable for the analysis of trace REEs in samples with complex matrix. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical sensor for fluoride determination in tea sample based on evanescent-wave interaction and fiber-optic integration.

PubMed

Xiong, Yan; Wu, Jiayi; Wang, Qing; Xu, Jing; Fang, Shenwen; Chen, Jie; Duan, Ming

2017-11-01

In this work, a miniaturized optical sensor was developed for fluoride determination in tea samples to evaluate their specific risks of fluorosis for public health based on evanescent-wave interaction. The sensor design was integrated on the optical fiber by utilizing the evanescent wave produced on the fiber surface to react with sensing reagents. According to the absorption change at 575nm, fluoride could be determined by colorimetric method and evaluated by Beer's law. With improved performances of small detection volume (1.2μL), fast analysis (0.41min), wide linear range (0.01-1.4mgL -1 ), low detection limit (3.5μgL -1 , 3σ) and excellent repeatability (2.34%), the sensor has been applied to fluoride determination in six different tea samples. Conventional spectrophotometry and ion chromatography were employed to validate the sensor's accuracy and potential application. Furthermore, this sensor fabrication provided a miniaturized colorimetric detection platform for other hazardous species monitoring based on evanescent wave interaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of an LC-MS/MS method for studying migration characteristics of acetaldehyde in polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-packed mineral water.

PubMed

Baumjohann, Nina; Harms, Diedrich

2015-01-01

During storage, acetaldehyde migration from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles can affect the quality of mineral water even in the low µg l(-1) range negatively, as it features a fruity or plastic-like off-flavour. For a sensitive and fast analysis of acetaldehyde in mineral water, a new analysis method of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) derivatisation followed by HPLC-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) was developed. Acetaldehyde was directly derivatised in the mineral water sample avoiding extraction and/or pre-concentration steps and then analysed by reversed-phase HPLC-ESI-MS/MS using multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM). Along with method development, the optimum molar excess of DNPH in contrast to acetaldehyde was studied for the mineral water matrix, because no specific and robust data were yet available for this critical parameter. Best results were obtained by using a calibration via the derivatisation reaction. Without any analyte enrichment or extraction, an LOD of 0.5 µg l(-1) and an LOQ of 1.9 µg l(-1) were achieved. Using the developed method, mineral water samples packed in PET bottles from Germany were analysed and the correlation between the acetaldehyde concentration and other characteristics of the samples was evaluated illustrating the applicability of the method. Besides a relationship between bottle size and CO2 content of the mineral water and acetaldehyde migration, a correlation with acetaldehyde migration and the material composition of the bottle, e.g. recycled PET, was noted. Investigating the light influence on the acetaldehyde migration with a newly developed, reproducible light exposure setup, a significant increase of the acetaldehyde concentration in carbonated mineral water samples was observed.

[Identification of green tea brand based on hyperspectra imaging technology].

PubMed

Zhang, Hai-Liang; Liu, Xiao-Li; Zhu, Feng-Le; He, Yong

2014-05-01

Hyperspectral imaging technology was developed to identify different brand famous green tea based on PCA information and image information fusion. First 512 spectral images of six brands of famous green tea in the 380 approximately 1 023 nm wavelength range were collected and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed with the goal of selecting two characteristic bands (545 and 611 nm) that could potentially be used for classification system. Then, 12 gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features (i. e., mean, covariance, homogeneity, energy, contrast, correlation, entropy, inverse gap, contrast, difference from the second-order and autocorrelation) based on the statistical moment were extracted from each characteristic band image. Finally, integration of the 12 texture features and three PCA spectral characteristics for each green tea sample were extracted as the input of LS-SVM. Experimental results showed that discriminating rate was 100% in the prediction set. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) assessment methods were used to evaluate the LS-SVM classification algorithm. Overall results sufficiently demonstrate that hyperspectral imaging technology can be used to perform classification of green tea.

Antioxidant activity of an invasive plant, Melastoma malabathricum and its potential as herbal tea product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, N. M.; Kuspradini, H.; Amirta, R.; Kusuma, I. W.

2018-04-01

East Kalimantan possesses abundant biodiversity of tropical medicinal plant. Melastoma malabathricum (known locally as karamunting, senduduk) is an invasive plant along with other species in the family of Melastomataceae with traditional medicinal purposes. This research explored the potential of Karamunting (M. malabathricum) plant for its antioxidant activity and the potential as a material for herbal tea product. The plant was macerated to yield ethanolic extract, and at the same time plant powder was packed into tea bags and extracted with hot water to obtain the infused water. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay. The results showed that the ethanol extracts of plant samples displayed ability to inhibit DPPH free radical formation by 82% at 50 ppm concentration. Evaluation of the tea water extract showed that the highest inhibition obtained by leaves powder by 90% and fruit 88% at 1 minutes immersion time. This finding suggest that leaves and fruit of M. malabathricum plants display potential as herbal tea material having antioxidant activity if the safety aspect can be assured.

Solubility of a new calcium silicate-based root-end filling material

PubMed Central

Singh, Shishir; Podar, Rajesh; Dadu, Shifali; Kulkarni, Gaurav; Purba, Rucheet

2015-01-01

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare solubility of a new calcium silicate-based cement, Biodentine with three commonly used root-end filling materials viz. glass-ionomer cement (GIC), intermediate restorative material (IRM), and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA). Materials and Methods: Twenty stainless steel ring molds were filled with cements corresponding to four groups (n = 5). The weight of 20 dried glass bottles was recorded. Samples were transferred to bottles containing 5 ml of distilled water and stored for 24 h. The bottles were dried at 105΀C and weighed. This procedure was repeated for 3, 10, 30, and 60 days. Data was analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test (P < 0.05). Results: Biodentine demonstrated significantly higher solubility than MTA for 30- and 60-day immersion periods. Statistical difference was noted between the solubility values of Biodentine samples amongst each of the five time intervals. Conclusions: Biodentine exhibited higher solubility in comparison with all other cements. PMID:25829696

Quantitative capillary electrophoresis and its application in analysis of alkaloids in tea, coffee, coca cola, and theophylline tablets.

PubMed

Li, Mengjia; Zhou, Junyi; Gu, Xue; Wang, Yan; Huang, Xiaojing; Yan, Chao

2009-01-01

A quantitative CE (qCE) system with high precision has been developed, in which a 4-port nano-valve was isolated from the electric field and served as sample injector. The accurate amount of sample was introduced into the CE system with high reproducibility. Based on this system, consecutive injections and separations were performed without voltage interruption. Reproducibilities in terms of RSD lower than 0.8% for retention time and 1.7% for peak area were achieved. The effectiveness of the system was demonstrated by the quantitative analysis of caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline in real samples, such as tea leaf, roasted coffee, coca cola, and theophylline tablets.

Tea and coffee consumption in relation to vitamin D and calcium levels in Saudi adolescents

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Coffee and tea consumption was hypothesized to interact with variants of vitamin D-receptor polymorphisms, but limited evidence exists. Here we determine for the first time whether increased coffee and tea consumption affects circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a cohort of Saudi adolescents. Methods A total of 330 randomly selected Saudi adolescents were included. Anthropometrics were recorded and fasting blood samples were analyzed for routine analysis of fasting glucose, lipid levels, calcium, albumin and phosphorous. Frequency of coffee and tea intake was noted. 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results Improved lipid profiles were observed in both boys and girls, as demonstrated by increased levels of HDL-cholesterol, even after controlling for age and BMI, among those consuming 9–12 cups of coffee/week. Vitamin D levels were significantly highest among those consuming 9–12 cups of tea/week in all subjects (p-value 0.009) independent of age, gender, BMI, physical activity and sun exposure. Conclusion This study suggests a link between tea consumption and vitamin D levels in a cohort of Saudi adolescents, independent of age, BMI, gender, physical activity and sun exposure. These findings should be confirmed prospectively. PMID:22905922

Green tea intake is associated with urinary estrogen profiles in Japanese-American women.

PubMed

Fuhrman, Barbara J; Pfeiffer, Ruth M; Wu, Anna H; Xu, Xia; Keefer, Larry K; Veenstra, Timothy D; Ziegler, Regina G

2013-02-15

Intake of green tea may reduce the risk of breast cancer; polyphenols in this drink can influence enzymes that metabolize estrogens, known causal factors in breast cancer etiology. We examined the associations of green tea intake (<1 time/week, 1-6 times weekly, or 7+ times weekly) with urinary estrogens and estrogen metabolites (jointly EM) in a cross-sectional sample of healthy Japanese American women, including 119 premenopausal women in luteal phase and 72 postmenopausal women. We fit robust regression models to each log-transformed EM concentration (picomoles per mg creatinine), adjusting for age and study center. In premenopausal women, intake of green tea was associated with lower luteal total EM (P trend=0.01) and lower urinary 16-pathway EM (P trend=0.01). In postmenopausal women, urinary estrone and estradiol were approximately 20% and 40% lower (P trend=0.01 and 0.05, respectively) in women drinking green tea daily compared to those drinking<1 time/week. Adjustment for potential confounders (age at menarche, parity/age at first birth, body mass index, Asian birthplace, soy) did not change these associations. Findings suggest that intake of green tea may modify estrogen metabolism or conjugation and in this way may influence breast cancer risk.

Green tea intake is associated with urinary estrogen profiles in Japanese-American women

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Scope Intake of green tea may reduce the risk of breast cancer; polyphenols in this drink can influence enzymes that metabolize estrogens, known causal factors in breast cancer etiology. Methods and results We examined the associations of green tea intake (<1 time/week, 1-6 times weekly, or 7+ times weekly) with urinary estrogens and estrogen metabolites (jointly EM) in a cross-sectional sample of healthy Japanese American women, including 119 premenopausal women in luteal phase and 72 postmenopausal women. We fit robust regression models to each log-transformed EM concentration (picomoles per mg creatinine), adjusting for age and study center. In premenopausal women, intake of green tea was associated with lower luteal total EM (P trend = 0.01) and lower urinary 16-pathway EM (P trend = 0.01). In postmenopausal women, urinary estrone and estradiol were approximately 20% and 40% lower (P trend = 0.01 and 0.05, respectively) in women drinking green tea daily compared to those drinking <1 time/week. Adjustment for potential confounders (age at menarche, parity/age at first birth, body mass index, Asian birthplace, soy) did not change these associations. Conclusions Findings suggest that intake of green tea may modify estrogen metabolism or conjugation and in this way may influence breast cancer risk. PMID:23413779

Behavioral and electroantennographic responses of the tea mosquito, Helopeltis theivora, to female sex pheromones.

PubMed

Sachin, James P; Selvasundaram, R; Babu, A; Muraleedharan, N

2008-12-01

Responses of the tea mosquito, Helopeltis theivora (Waterhouse) (Hemiptera: Miridae), a major pest of tea, to female sex pheromone compounds were measured using wind tunnel and electroantennogram (EAG) bioassays. In the wind tunnel, male tea mosquitoes were found to be most attracted to a dichloromethane extract of the female thorax. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of female thoracic extracts and dynamic head space samples of virgin females showed the presence of five compounds: (Z)-3 hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3 hexenyl butanoate, (E)-2 hexenyl pentanoate, 2,4 dimethyl pentanal, and (E)-2-hexenol. Male tea mosquitoes were attracted to blends of (Z)-3 hexenyl acetate and (E)-2-hexenol in the wind tunnel with a 1:5 ratio eliciting the greatest response. EAG recordings of male antenna confirmed the ability of this blend to evoke antennal responses in male insects. Similarly active EAG responses were recorded toward female thoracic extract and a blend of (Z)-3 hexenyl acetate and (E)-2-hexenol. Behavioral responses of adult males are mediated by a blend of volatile female sex pheromone compounds, (Z)-3 hexenyl acetate and (E)-2-hexenol, at a ratio of 1:5. This female sex pheromone blend may be useful for tea mosquito control and management programs.

Green tea yogurt: major phenolic compounds and microbial growth.

PubMed

Amirdivani, Shabboo; Baba, Ahmad Salihin Hj

2015-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate fermentation of milk in the presence of green tea (Camellia sinensis) with respect to changes in antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds and the growth of lactic acid bacteria. Pasteurized full fat cow's milk and starter culture were incubated at 41 °C in the presence of two different types of green tea extracts. The yogurts formed were refrigerated (4 °C) for further analysis. The total phenolic content was highest (p < 0.05) in air-dried green tea-yogurt (MGT) followed by steam-treated green tea (JGT) and plain yogurts. Four major compounds in MGTY and JGTY were detected. The highest concentration of major phenolic compounds in both samples was related to quercetin-rhamnosylgalactoside and quercetin-3-O-galactosyl-rhamnosyl-glucoside for MGTY and JGTY respectively during first 7 day of storage. Diphenyl picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power methods showed highest antioxidant capacity in MGTY, JGTY and PY. Streptococcus thermophillus and Lactobacillus spp. were highest in MGTY followed by JGTY and PY. This paper evaluates the implementation of green tea yogurt as a new product with functional properties and valuable component to promote the growth of beneficial yogurt bacteria and prevention of oxidative stress by enhancing the antioxidant activity of yogurt.

Quality survey of natural mineral water and spring water sold in France: Monitoring of hormones, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances, phthalates, and alkylphenols at the ultra-trace level.

PubMed

Le Coadou, Laurine; Le Ménach, Karyn; Labadie, Pierre; Dévier, Marie-Hélène; Pardon, Patrick; Augagneur, Sylvie; Budzinski, Hélène

2017-12-15

The aim of the present study, one of the most complete ever performed in France, was to carry out an extensive survey on the potential presence of a large amount of emerging contaminants in 40 French bottled waters, including parent compounds and metabolites. The studied samples represented 70% of the French bottled water market in volume. Six classes of compounds were investigated, most of them being unregulated in bottled waters: pesticides and their transformation products (118), pharmaceutical substances (172), hormones (11), alkylphenols (APs) (8), phthalates (11) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (10). One of the objectives of this work was to achieve low and reliable limits of quantification (LOQs) (87% of the LOQs were below 10ng/L) using advanced analytical technologies and reliable sample preparation methodologies, including stringent quality controls. Among the 14,000 analyses performed, 99.7% of the results were below the LOQs. None of the hormones, pharmaceutical substances and phthalates were quantified. Nineteen compounds out of the 330 investigated were quantified in 11 samples. Eleven were pesticides including 7 metabolites, 6 were PFAS and 2 were APs. As regards pesticides, their sum was at least twice lower than the quality standards applicable for bottled waters in France. The presence of a majority of pesticide metabolites suggested a former use in the recharge areas of the exploited aquifers. The quantification of a few unregulated emerging compounds at the nano-trace level, such as PFAS, raised the issue of their potential sources, including long-range atmospheric transport and deposition. This study confirmed that the groundwater aquifers exploited for bottling were well-preserved from chemicals, as compared to less geologically protected groundwaters, and also underlined the need to pursue the protection policies implemented in recharge areas in order to limit the anthropogenic pressure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fortification of alcoholic beverages (12% v/v) with tea (Camellia sinensis) reduces harmful effects of alcohol ingestion and metabolism in mouse model

PubMed Central

Ochanda, S O; Rashid, K; Wanyoko, J K; Ngotho, M; Faraj, A K; Onyango, C A; Wachira, F N; Maranga, D N

2016-01-01

Background An animal model was used to study the health benefits inherent in tea fortified alcoholic beverages fed to laboratory mice. Objectives An investigation of the effects of tea fortified alcoholic beverages 12% alcohol (v/v) on antioxidant capacity and liver dysfunction indicators in white Swiss mice including packed cell volume (PCV), albumin, total protein, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and glutathione (GSH) was carried out. Methods Plain, black, green and purple tea fortified alcohols were developed with varying tea concentrations of 1, 2 and 4 g/250 mL in 12% v/v. Control alcoholic beverages without teas were also developed. A permit (number IRC/13/12) was obtained for the animal research from the National Museums of Kenya, Institute of Primate Research prior to the start of the study. Alcoholic beverages were orally administered every 2 days for 4 weeks at 1 mL per mouse, and thereafter animals were euthanised and liver and blood samples harvested for analyses. Assays on body weight (bwt), packed cell volume (PCV) albumin, total protein, ALP and GSH were performed. Results were statistically analysed using GraphPad statistical package and significant differences of means of various treatments determined. Results Consumption of tea fortified alcohols significantly decreased (p=0.0001) bwt at 0.32–9.58% and PCV at 5.56–22.75% for all teas. Total protein in serum and liver of mice fed on different tea fortified alcohols ranged between 6.26 and 9.24 g/dL and 2.14 and 4.02 g/dL, respectively. Albumin, ALP and GSH range was 0.92–2.88 µg/L, 314.98–473.80 µg/L and 17.88–28.62 µM, respectively. Fortification of alcoholic beverages lowered liver ALP, replenished antioxidants and increased liver albumin, improving the nutritional status of the mice. Conclusions The findings demonstrate tea's hepatoprotective mechanisms against alcohol-induced injury through promotion of endogenous antioxidants. The beneficial effects of tea in the fortified alcoholic beverages could be used to develop safer alcoholic beverages. PMID:27110378

Migration of antimony from PET bottles into beverages: determination of the activation energy of diffusion and migration modelling compared with literature data.

PubMed

Welle, F; Franz, R

2011-01-01

Plastics bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are increasingly used for soft drinks, mineral water, juices and beer. In this study a literature review is presented concerning antimony levels found both in PET materials as well as in foods and food simulants. On the other hand, 67 PET samples from the European bottle market were investigated for their residual antimony concentrations. A mean value of 224 ± 32 mg kg(-1) was found, the median was 220 mg kg(-1). Diffusion coefficients for antimony in PET bottle materials were experimentally determined at different temperature between 105 and 150°C. From these data, the activation energy of diffusion for antimony species from the PET bottle wall into beverages and food simulants was calculated. The obtained value of 189 kJ mol(-1) was found to be in good agreement with published data on PET microwave trays (184 kJ mol(-1)). Based on these results, the migration of antimony into beverages was predicted by mathematical migration modelling for different surface/volume ratios and antimony bottle wall concentrations. The results were compared with literature data as well as international legal limits and guidelines values for drinking water and the migration limit set from food packaging legislation. It was concluded that antimony levels in beverages due to migration from PET bottles manufactured according to the state of the art can never reach or exceed the European-specific migration limit of 40 microg kg(-1). Maximum migration levels caused by room-temperature storage even after 3 years will never be essentially higher than 2.5 microg kg(-1) and in any case will be below the European limit of 5 microg kg(-1) for drinking water. The results of this study confirm that the exposure of the consumer by antimony migration from PET bottles into beverages and even into edible oils reaches approximately 1% of the current tolerable daily intake (TDI) established by World Health Organisation (WHO). Having substantiated such low antimony levels in PET-bottled beverages, the often addressed question on oestrogenic effects caused by antimony from PET bottles appears to be groundless.

Chemical Analysis of Counterfeit Hepatitis C Drug Found in Japan.

PubMed

Uchiyama, Nahoko; Kamakura, Hiroyuki; Masada, Sayaka; Tsujimoto, Takashi; Hosoe, Junko; Tokumoto, Hiroko; Maruyama, Takuro; Goda, Yukihiro; Hakamatsuka, Takashi

2017-10-01

In January 2017, counterfeits of the hepatitis C drug 'HARVONI ® Combination Tablets' (HARVONI ® ) were found at a pharmacy chain through unlicensed suppliers in Japan. A total of five lots of counterfeit HARVONI ® (samples 1-5) bottles were found, and the ingredients of the bottles were all in tablet form. Among them, two differently shaped tablets were present in two of the bottles (categorized as samples 2A, 2B, 4A, and 4B). We analyzed the total of seven samples by high-resolution LC-MS, GC-MS and NMR. In samples 2A, 3 and 4B, sofosbuvir, the active component of another hepatitis C drug, SOVALDI ® Tablets 400 mg (SOVALDI ® ), was detected. In sample 4A, sofosbuvir and ledipasvir, the active components of HARVONI ® , were found. A direct comparison of the four samples and genuine products showed that three samples (2A, 3, 4B) are apparently SOVALDI ® and that sample 2A is HARVONI ® . In samples 1 and 5, several vitamins but none of the active compounds usually found in HARVONI ® (i.e., sofosbuvir and ledipasvir) were detected. Our additional investigation indicates that these two samples are likely to be a commercial vitamin supplement distributed in Japan. Sample 2B, looked entirely different from HARVONI ® and contained several herbal constitutents (such as ephedrine and glycyrrhizin) that are used in Japanese Kampo formulations. A further analysis indicated that sample 2B is likely to be a Kampo extract tablet of Shoseiryuto which is distributed in Japan. Considering this case, it is important to be vigilant to prevent a recurrence of distribution of counterfeit drugs.

Microbiological assessment of house and imported bottled water by comparison of bacterial endotoxin concentration, heterotrophic plate count, and fecal coliform count.

PubMed

Reyes, Mayra I; Pérez, Cynthia M; Negrón, Edna L

2008-03-01

Consumers increasingly use bottled water and home water treatment systems to avoid direct tap water. According to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), an industry trade group, 5 billion gallons of bottled water were consumed by North Americans in 2001. The principal aim of this study was to assess the microbial quality of in-house and imported bottled water for human consumption, by measurement and comparison of the concentration of bacterial endotoxin and standard cultivable methods of indicator microorganisms, specifically, heterotrophic and fecal coliform plate counts. A total of 21 brands of commercial bottled water, consisting of 10 imported and 11 in-house brands, selected at random from 96 brands that are consumed in Puerto Rico, were tested at three different time intervals. The Standard Limulus Amebocyte Lysate test, gel clot method, was used to measure the endotoxin concentrations. The minimum endotoxin concentration in 63 water samples was less than 0.0625 EU/mL, while the maximum was 32 EU/mL. The minimum bacterial count showed no growth, while the maximum was 7,500 CFU/mL. Bacterial isolates like P. fluorescens, Corynebacterium sp. J-K, S. paucimobilis, P. versicularis, A. baumannii, P. chlororaphis, F. indologenes, A. faecalis and P. cepacia were identified. Repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated that endotoxin concentration did not change over time, while there was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in bacterial count over time. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that a unit change in the concentration of endotoxin across time was associated with a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the bacteriological cell count. This analysis evidenced a significant time effect in the average log bacteriological cell count. Although bacterial growth was not detected in some water samples, endotoxin was present. Measurement of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxins is one of the methods that have been suggested as a rapid way of determining bacteriological water quality.

Sabah snake grass extract pre-processing: Preliminary studies in drying and fermentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solibun, A.; Sivakumar, K.

2016-06-01

Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. F.) Lindau which also known as ‘Sabah Snake Grass’ among Malaysians have been studied in terms of its medicinal and chemical properties in Asian countries which is used to treat various diseases from cancer to viral-related diseases such as varicella-zoster virus lesions. Traditionally, this plant has been used by the locals to treat insect and snake bites, skin rashes, diabetes and dysentery. In Malaysia, the fresh leaves of this plant are usually boiled with water and consumed as herbal tea. The objectives of this study are to determine the key process parameters for Sabah Snake Grass fermentation which affect the chemical and biological constituent concentrations within the tea, extraction kinetics of fermented and unfermented tea and the optimal process parameters for the fermentation of this tea. Experimental methods such as drying, fermenting and extraction of C.nutans leaves were conducted before subjecting them to analysis of antioxidant capacity. Conventional oven- dried (40, 45 and 50°C) and fermented (6, 12 and 18 hours) whole C.nutans leaves were subjected to tea infusion extraction (water temperature was 80°C, duration was 90 minutes) and the sample liquid was extracted for every 5th, 10th, 15th, 25th, 40th, 60th and 90th minute. Analysis for antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content (TPC) were conducted by using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-pycryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and Folin-Ciocaltheu reagent, respectively. The 40°C dried leaves sample produced the highest phenolic content at 0.1344 absorbance value in 15 minutes of extraction while 50°C dried leaves sample produced 0.1298 absorbance value in 10 minutes of extraction. The highest antioxidant content was produced by 50°C dried leaves sample with absorbance value of 1.6299 in 5 minutes of extraction. For 40°C dried leaves sample, the highest antioxidant content could be observed in 25 minutes of extraction with the absorbance value of 1.1456. The largest diameter of disc that could be observed at 18 hours of fermentation sample had a pile size of 3 cm that had expanded to 5.9 cm of diameter which indicated the microbe's growth.

Direct identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) from positive blood culture bottles: An opportunity to customize growth conditions for fastidious organisms causing bloodstream infections.

PubMed

Sharma, Megha; Gautam, Vikas; Mahajan, Monika; Rana, Sudesh; Majumdar, Manasi; Ray, Pallab

2017-10-01

Culture-negative bacteraemia has been an enigmatic entity with respect to its aetiological agents. In an attempt to actively identify those positive blood cultures that escape isolation and detection on routine workflow, an additional step of MALDI-TOF MS (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry) based detection was carried out directly from the flagged blood culture bottles. Blood samples from 200 blood culture bottles that beeped positive with automated (BACTEC) system and showed no growth of organism on routine culture media, were subjected to analysis by MALDI-TOF MS. Forty seven of the 200 (23.5%) bacterial aetiology could be established by bottle-based method. Based on these results, growth on culture medium could be achieved for the isolates by providing special growth conditions to the fastidious organisms. Direct identification by MALDI-TOF MS from BACTEC-positive bottles provided an opportunity to isolate those fastidious organisms that failed to grow on routine culture medium by providing them with necessary alterations in growth environment.

Fluoride content in bottled drinking waters, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices in Davangere city, India.

PubMed

Thippeswamy, H M; Kumar, Nanditha; Anand, S R; Prashant, G M; Chandu, G N

2010-01-01

The regular ingestion of fluoride lowers the prevalence of dental caries. The total daily intake of fluoride for optimal dental health should be 0.05-0.07 mg fluoride/kg body weight and to avoid the risk of dental fluorosis, the daily intake should not exceed a daily level of 0.10 mg fluoride/kg body weight. The main source of fluoride is from drinking water and other beverages. As in other countries, consumption of bottled water, juices and carbonated beverages has increased in our country. To analyze the fluoride content in bottled water, juices and carbonated soft drinks that were commonly available in Davangere city. Three samples of 10 commercially available brands of bottled drinking water, 12 fruit juices and 12 carbonated soft drinks were purchased. Bottled water and carbonated soft drinks were stored at a cold place until fluoride analysis was performed and a clear juice was prepared using different fruits without the addition of water. Then, the fluoride analysis was performed. The mean and standard deviation of fluoride content of bottled water, fruit juices and carbonated soft drinks were measured, which were found to be 0.20 mg (±0.19) F/L, 0.29 mg (±0.06) F/L and 0.22 mg (±0.05) F/L, respectively. In viewing the results of the present study, it can be concluded that regulation of the optimal range of fluoride in bottled drinking water, carbonated soft drinks and fruit juices should be drawn for the Indian scenario.

Correlation of lithium levels between drinking water obtained from different sources and scalp hair samples of adult male subjects.

PubMed

Baloch, Shahnawaz; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Baig, Jameel Ahmed; Talpur, Farah Naz; Arain, Muhammad Balal

2017-10-01

There is some evidence that natural levels of lithium (Li) in drinking water may have a protective effect on neurological health. In present study, we evaluate the Li levels in drinking water of different origin and bottled mineral water. To evaluate the association between lithium levels in drinking water with human health, the scalp hair samples of male subjects (25-45 years) consumed drinking water obtained from ground water (GW), municipal treated water (MTW) and bottled mineral water (BMW) from rural and urban areas of Sindh, Pakistan were selected. The water samples were pre-concentrated five to tenfold at 60 °C using temperature-controlled electric hot plate. While scalp hair samples were oxidized by acid in a microwave oven, prior to determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The Li content in different types of drinking water, GW, MTW and BMW was found in the range of 5.12-22.6, 4.2-16.7 and 0.0-16.3 µg/L, respectively. It was observed that Li concentration in the scalp hair samples of adult males consuming ground water was found to be higher, ranged as 292-393 μg/kg, than those who are drinking municipal treated and bottle mineral water (212-268 and 145-208 μg/kg), respectively.

Microbiological quality of drinking water from dispensers in roadside restaurants of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Moniruzzaman, M; Akter, S; Islam, M A; Mia, Z

2011-01-15

The microbiological status of water from dispensers in different roadside restaurants of Dhaka city and Savar area was analyzed in this study. Seven samples from Dhaka and 8 samples of Savar were checked. The heterotrophic plate count was in a range of 1.0 x 10(3) CFU mL(-1) to 2.0 x 10(4) CFU mL(-1) (from new bottles), 1.0 x 10(3) to 1.5 x 10(4) CFU mL(-1) (after dispensation), and 1.5 x 10(3) CFU mL(-1) to 1.0 x l0(5) CFU mL(-1) (from serving glass). In several of the samples, the heterotrophic plate count was higher than the count in water from new bottle or after dispensation, suggesting added contamination from the serving glass. 80% of the samples were contaminated with total and fecal coliform bacteria, which render these waters unacceptable for human consumption. The samples were found to contain gram negative bacteria like E coli, Shigella sp., Klebsiella sp., Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., and Salmonella sp., which are potential pathogens and thus pose a serious threat to public health. This study elucidates the importance of monitoring the bottling companies and the restaurants and put them under strict regulations to prevent future outbreak of any water borne diseases caused by consumption of dispensed water.

Green Tea Consumption after Intense Taekwondo Training Enhances Salivary Defense Factors and Antibacterial Capacity

PubMed Central

Lin, Shiuan-Pey; Li, Chia-Yang; Suzuki, Katsuhiko; Chang, Chen-Kang; Chou, Kuei-Ming; Fang, Shih-Hua

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of green tea consumption on selected salivary defense proteins, antibacterial capacity and anti-oxidation activity in taekwondo (TKD) athletes, following intensive training. Twenty-two TKD athletes performed a 2-hr TKD training session. After training, participants ingested green tea (T, caffeine 6 mg/kg and catechins 22 mg/kg) or an equal volume of water (W). Saliva samples were collected at three time points: before training (BT-T; BT-W), immediately after training (AT-T; AT-W), and 30 min after drinking green tea or water (Rec-T; Rec-W). Salivary total protein, immunoglobulin A (SIgA), lactoferrin, α-amylase activity, free radical scavenger activity (FRSA) and antibacterial capacity were measured. Salivary total protein, lactoferrin, SIgA concentrations and α-amylase activity increased significantly immediately after intensive TKD training. After tea drinking and 30 min rest, α-amylase activity and the ratio of α-amylase to total protein were significantly higher than before and after training. In addition, salivary antibacterial capacity was not affected by intense training, but green tea consumption after training enhanced salivary antibacterial capacity. Additionally, we observed that salivary FRSA was markedly suppressed immediately after training and quickly returned to pre-exercise values, regardless of which fluid was consumed. Our results show that green tea consumption significantly enhances the activity of α-amylase and salivary antibacterial capacity. PMID:24498143

Effect of green tea (Camellia sinensis) consumption on the components of metabolic syndrome in elderly.

PubMed

Vieira Senger, A E; Schwanke, C H A; Gomes, I; Valle Gottlieb, M G

2012-01-01

To evaluate the effect of the consumption of green tea on components of MS in the elderly. Intervention study. The sample was selected from the Geriatric Service of Hospital São Lucas of Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. 45 elderly with MS were enrolled and allocated into two groups: green tea group (GTG, n= 24), who drank green tea and control group (CG, n= 21) without intervention. The GTG received sachets of 1.0 g of green tea, and should drink three cups per day for 60 days and the CG was instructed not to make changes in their lifestyle. The diagnostic criteria for MS used were the International Diabetes Federation. The lipidic and glycemic profile, and anthropometric measurements were evaluated before and after intervention. There was a statistically significant weight loss only in GTG [71.5±12.6 kg to 70.3±12.6 kg (p<0.001)]. A statistically significant decrease in BMI [-0.5±0.4 kg/m2 in GTG and -0.2±0.6 kg/m2 in CG (P=0.032)] and waist circumference [-2.2±2.0 cm in GTG and - 0.3±1.8 cm in CG (P=0.002)] were observed. The intake of green tea did not change the biochemical parameters. The consumption of green tea was effective in inducing weight loss, reducing BMI and waist circumference in the elderly with MS.

High Throughput Analytical Techniques for the Determination and Confirmation of Residues of 653 Multiclass Pesticides and Chemical Pollutants in Tea by GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, and LC/MS/MS: Collaborative Study, First Action 2014.09.

PubMed

Pang, Guo-Fang; Fan, Chun-Lin; Cao, Yan-Zhong; Yan, Fang; Li, Yan; Kang, Jian; Chen, Hui; Chang, Qiao-Ying

2015-01-01

Thirty laboratories from fom North and South America, Europe, and Asia participated in this AOAC collaborative study (15 from China; five from Germany; two each from Italy and the United States; and one each from the Republic of Korea, Canada, Spain, Japan, Belgium, and India). Participants represented government regulatory, commercial testing, university, research institute, and private laboratories. The single-laboratory validated (SLV) tea method was evaluated in the collaborative study to determine the recovery and reproducibility of the method under multilaboratory conditions. Since there were no restrictions regarding the type of analytical instrumentation to use for the analyses, laboratories used a combination of equipment that included GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, and LC/MS/MS instruments from 22 different manufacturers, 21 brands of GC and LC columns, 13 different GC temperature programming profiles, 11 LC gradient elution programs, and six different vendor manufactured SPE cartridges. Even though all the analytical performance parameters for all the 653 compounds had been determined in the SLV study, guidance was obtained from an expert review panel of the AOAC Method-Centric Committee on Pesticide Residues to conduct the multilaboratory collaborative study based on 20 selected compounds that can be analyzed by GC/MS and 20 compounds that can be analyzed by LC/MS/MS. Altogether, 560 samples covering the 40 selected pesticides were analyzed in the study. These samples included green tea and oolong tea samples fortified typically at the European Union maximum residue limit for regulatory guidance and compliance, aged tea samples incurred with 20 pesticides, and green tea and oolong tea samples incurred with five pesticides. The analysis of the 560 samples generated a total of 82 459 test results by the 30 participating laboratories. One laboratory failed to meet the proficiency requirements in the precollaborative study. Therefore, its data submitted for the collaborative study were excluded from further analysis and interpretation. The results presented are therefore the 6638 analytical results obtained from the 29 remaining laboratories, which included 1977 results generated by GC/MS, 1704 results by GC/MS/MS, and 2957 results by LC/MS/MS. It was determined after application of the Grubbs and Dixon tests for outliers to the data sets that there were 65 outlier results from the 1977 GC/MS results (3.3%), 65 outlier results from the 1704 GC/MS/MS results (3.8%), and 57 outlier results out of 2957 LC/MS/MS results (1.9%), representing 0.98, 0.98, and 0.86%, respectively, of the 6638 results generated in the study. Analysis with the AOAC statistical software package also confirmed that the method is rugged, and average recovery, average concentration, RSDr, RSDR, and HorRat values all meet recovery and reproducibility criteria for use in multiple laboratories. The Study Director is recommending this method for adoption as an AOAC First Action Official MethodSM.

Extemporaneous sildenafil citrate oral suspensions for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in children.

PubMed

Nahata, Milap C; Morosco, Richard S; Brady, Michael T

2006-02-01

The stability of sildenafil citrate 2.5 mg/mL in two extemporaneously prepared oral suspensions stored at 4 and 25 degrees C was studied. Thirty 25-mg tablets of sildenafil citrate were ground to powder, and the powder was combined with a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Sweet and Ora-Plus or a 1:1 mixture of methylcellulose 1% and Simple Syrup, NF, to produce two 2.5-mg/mL suspensions. Five plastic bottles of each suspension were stored in amber plastic prescription bottles at 4 or 25 degrees C. Samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 91 for analysis of sildenafil content by high-performance liquid chromatography; pH was also measured. Samples were visually observed against black and white backgrounds. The mean concentration of sildenafil citrate exceeded 98% of the initial concentration in all samples at both temperatures throughout the 91-day study period. No changes in pH, odor, or physical appearance were observed. Sildenafil citrate 2.5 mg/mL in two extemporaneously compounded oral suspensions was stable for 91 days in plastic prescription bottles at 4 and 25 degrees C.

Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S release in milk under household conditions from baby bottles marketed in Italy.

PubMed

Russo, Giacomo; Barbato, Francesco; Cardone, Eleonora; Fattore, Margherita; Albrizio, Stefania; Grumetto, Lucia

2018-02-01

A simple and sensitive validated analytical method based on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem fluorescence (FD) and ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry was applied to monitor the presence of bisphenol A and bisphenol S in plastic baby bottles marketed in Italy. The limits of detection (LOD) were 3.75 ng mL -1 and 80.00 ng mL -1 , and those of quantification (LOQ) were 12.51 ng mL -1 and 260.00 ng mL -1 for BPA (FD detection) and for BPS (UV detection), respectively. BPA was found in only four samples, two samples undergone to microwave heating and two samples undergone to bottle warmer heating either at 40°C or at 80°C. Although the quantities of leached BPA were well below the reference dose for daily intake established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (4.0 µg kg -1 bw/day), the release of BPA and BPS from these plastic materials should be carefully considered by the government authorities to increase people's awareness on this issue and to protect the most vulnerable population group.

Survey of bottled drinking water sold in Canada. Part 2. Selected volatile organic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Page, B.D.; Conacher, H.B.S.; Salminen, J.

Selected volatile organic compound (VOC) contaminants were determined in 182 samples of retail bottled waters purchased in Canada. Samples included spring water (86) packaged in containers of polyethylene or in smaller containers of transparent plastic or glass, mineral water (61) packaged only in transparent plastic or glass, and miscellaneous bottled waters (35). Analyses were performed by 3 laboratories, each using headspace sampling and capillary gas chromatography with either mass spectrometric (1 laboratory) or flame ionization detection with mass spectrometric confirmation, if required (2 laboratories). Benzene, the contaminant of primary interest, was detected in only 1 of the 182 samples atmore » 2 {mu}g/kg. Other VOC contaminants detected (number of positive samples, average, and range of positives in {mu}g/kg) included toluene (20, 6.92, 0.5-63), cyclohexane (23, 39.2, 3-108), chloroform (12, 25.8, 3.7-70), and dichloromethane (4, 59, 22-97). Cyclohexane was found in the plastic and as a migrant from the plastic in 20 samples of spring water, but it was found in only 1 of 61 mineral water samples analyzed at only 3 {mu}g/kg/. Chloroform was found almost exclusively in samples that could have been obtained from public water supplies. It was not found in mineral water samples, but it was found in 1 spring water sample at 3.7 {mu}g/kg. The source of the toluene contamination was not known. Other VOCs detected include ethanol and limonene, associated with added flavoring; pentane, as a migrant from a foamed polystyrene cap liner; and 1,1,2,2-tetra-chloroethylene in a sample of demineralized water. 10 refs., 6 tabs.« less

Bacteriological assessment of urban water sources in Khamis Mushait Governorate, southwestern Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

AlOtaibi, Eed L Sh

2009-03-21

Urban water sources of Khamis Mushait Governorate, southwestern Saudi Arabia, were studied to assess their bacteriological characteristics and suitability for potable purposes. A cross-sectional epidemiological method was adopted to investigate the four main urban water sources (i.e. bottled, desalinated, surface, and well water). These were sampled and examined between February and June 2007. A total of 95 water samples from bottled, desalinated, surface, and well water were collected randomly from the study area using different gathering and analysing techniques. The bacteriological examination of water samples included the most probable number of presumptive coliforms, faecal coliforms, and faecal streptococci (MPN/100 ml). The results showed that the total coliform count (MPN/100 ml) was not detected in any samples taken from bottled water, while it was detected in those taken from desalinated, surface, and well water: percentages were 12.9, 80.0, and 100.0, respectively. Faecal coliforms were detected in desalinated, surface, and well water, with percentages of 3.23, 60.0 and 87.88, respectively. About 6.45% of desalinated water, 53.33% of surface water, and 57.58% of well water was found positive for faecal streptococci. Colonies of coliforms were identified in different micro-organisms with various percentages. Water derived from traditional sources (wells) showed increases in most of the investigated bacteriological parameters, followed by surface water as compared to bottled or desalinated water. This may be attributed to the fact that well and surface water are at risk of contamination as indicated by the higher levels of most bacteriological parameters. Moreover, well water is exposed to point sources of pollution such as septic wells and domestic and farming effluents, as well as to soil with a high humus content. The lower bacteriological characteristics in samples from bottled water indicate that it is satisfactory for human drinking purposes. Contamination of desalinated water that is the main urban water source may occur during transportation from the desalination plant or in the house reservoir of the consumer. Improving and expanding the existing water treatment and sanitation systems is more likely to provide safe and sustainable sources of water over the long term. Strict hygienic measures should be applied to improve water quality and to avoid deleterious effects on public health, by using periodical monitoring programmes to detect sewage pollution running over local hydrological networks and valleys.

Bacteriological assessment of urban water sources in Khamis Mushait Governorate, southwestern Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Sh AlOtaibi, Eed L

2009-01-01

Background Urban water sources of Khamis Mushait Governorate, southwestern Saudi Arabia, were studied to assess their bacteriological characteristics and suitability for potable purposes. A cross-sectional epidemiological method was adopted to investigate the four main urban water sources (i.e. bottled, desalinated, surface, and well water). These were sampled and examined between February and June 2007. Results A total of 95 water samples from bottled, desalinated, surface, and well water were collected randomly from the study area using different gathering and analysing techniques. The bacteriological examination of water samples included the most probable number of presumptive coliforms, faecal coliforms, and faecal streptococci (MPN/100 ml). The results showed that the total coliform count (MPN/100 ml) was not detected in any samples taken from bottled water, while it was detected in those taken from desalinated, surface, and well water: percentages were 12.9, 80.0, and 100.0, respectively. Faecal coliforms were detected in desalinated, surface, and well water, with percentages of 3.23, 60.0 and 87.88, respectively. About 6.45% of desalinated water, 53.33% of surface water, and 57.58% of well water was found positive for faecal streptococci. Colonies of coliforms were identified in different micro-organisms with various percentages. Conclusion Water derived from traditional sources (wells) showed increases in most of the investigated bacteriological parameters, followed by surface water as compared to bottled or desalinated water. This may be attributed to the fact that well and surface water are at risk of contamination as indicated by the higher levels of most bacteriological parameters. Moreover, well water is exposed to point sources of pollution such as septic wells and domestic and farming effluents, as well as to soil with a high humus content. The lower bacteriological characteristics in samples from bottled water indicate that it is satisfactory for human drinking purposes. Contamination of desalinated water that is the main urban water source may occur during transportation from the desalination plant or in the house reservoir of the consumer. Improving and expanding the existing water treatment and sanitation systems is more likely to provide safe and sustainable sources of water over the long term. Strict hygienic measures should be applied to improve water quality and to avoid deleterious effects on public health, by using periodical monitoring programmes to detect sewage pollution running over local hydrological networks and valleys. PMID:19302710

External quality-assurance results for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network, 1997-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gordon, John D.; Latysh, Natalie E.; Lindholm, Sandy J.

2003-01-01

Five external quality-assurance programs were operated by the U.S. Geological Survey for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/ National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) during 1997 through 1999: the intersite-comparison program, the blind-audit program, the field- audit program, the interlaboratory-comparison program, and the collocated-sampler program. The intersite-comparison program assesses the accuracy of pH and specific-conductance determinations made by NADP/NTN site operators. In two 1997 intersite-comparison studies, 83.7 and 85.8 percent of the pH determinations met the NADP/NTN accuracy goals, whereas 97.3 and 92.4 percent of the specific-conductance determinations met the NADP/NTN accuracy goals. The percentage of pH and specific-conductance determinations that met the accuracy goals in 1998 were, for the most part, higher than in 1997. In two 1998 studies, 90.9 and 90.3 percent of the pH determinations met the accuracy goals compared to 94.7 and 96.0 percent of the specific- conductance measurements meeting the accuracy goals. In one 1999 intersite-comparison study, 89.5 percent and 99.4 percent of pH and specific- conductance determinations, respectively, met the NADP/NTN accuracy goals. The blind-audit program evaluates the effects of routine sample handling, processing, and shipping on the analytical bias and precision of weekly precipitation samples. A portion of the blind-audit sample subject to the normal onsite handling and processing of a weekly precipitation sample is referred to as the bucket portion, whereas the portion receiving only minimal handling is referred to as the bottle portion. Positive bias in regard to blind-audit results indicates that the bucket portion has a higher concentration than the bottle portion. The paired t-test for the 1997 through 1999 blind- audit data indicates that routine sample handling, processing, and shipping introduced a positive bias (a=0.05) for calcium and chloride and a negative bias (cz=0.05) for hydrogen ion. During 1997 through 1999, the median paired differences between the bucket and bottle portions ranged from 0.00 milligram per liter for nitrate and ammonium to +0.010 milligram per liter for both chloride and sulfate. The median paired difference between the bucket and bottle portions for hydrogen ion was -1.086 microequivalents per liter, whereas for specific conductance, the median paired difference between the bucket and bottle portions was -0.200 microsiemen per centimeter during 1997 through 1999. Surface-chemistry effects due to variable amounts of precipitation contacting prewashed sample-collection and shipping-container surfaces were studied in the blind-audit program by using three different sample volumes. The sample- collection and shipping containers used for the blind-audit study were obtained from the site operator's supply and could have been used for precipitation samples. Results of a Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance test of the relation between paired blind-audit sample differences in units of concentration and sample volume were statistically significant for magnesium, chloride, sulfate, and hydrogen ion during 1997 through 1999. Before 1994, at least 5 of the 10 analytes displayed a statistically significant difference between paired blind-audit differences in units of concentration and sample volume, supporting the premise that chemical reactions between the 13-liter bucket shipping container (primarily the butadiene o-ring lid of the shipping container) and the sample, which resulted in an increasing loss of hydrogen ion with increasing volume, have been eliminated by the new l-liter bottle sample- shipping protocol. The field-audit program measures the effects of field exposure, handling, and processing on the chemistry of NADP/NTN precipitation samples. In the field-audit program, the site operator is instructed to process and submit a quality- control sample following a standard 7-day, Tuesday-to-Tuesday sampling period with no

Effects of single dose and regular intake of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on DNA damage, DNA repair, and heme oxygenase-1 expression in a randomized controlled human supplementation study.

PubMed

Ho, Cyrus K; Choi, Siu-wai; Siu, Parco M; Benzie, Iris F F

2014-06-01

Regular intake of green tea (Camellia sinensis) lowers DNA damage in humans, but molecular mechanisms of genoprotection are not clear. Protection could be via direct antioxidant effects of tea catechins, but, paradoxically, catechins have pro-oxidant activity in vitro, and it is hypothesized that mechanisms relate to redox-sensitive cytoprotective adaptations. We investigated this hypothesis, focusing particularly on effects on the DNA repair enzyme human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1), and heme oxygenase-1, a protein that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A randomized, placebo-controlled, human supplementation study of crossover design was performed. Subjects (n = 16) took a single dose (200 mL of 1.5%, w/v) and 7-days of (2 × 200 mL 1%, w/v per day) green tea (with water as control treatment). Lymphocytic DNA damage was ∼30% (p < 0.001) lower at 60 and 120 min after the single dose and in fasting samples collected after 7-day tea supplementation. Lymphocytic hOGG1 activity was higher (p < 0.0001) at 60 and 120 min after tea ingestion. Significant increases (p < 0.0005) were seen in hOGG1 activity and heme oxygenase-1 after 7 days. Results indicate that molecular triggering of redox-sensitive cytoprotective adaptations and posttranslational changes affecting hOGG1 occur in vivo in response to both a single dose and regular intake of green tea, and contribute to the observed genoprotective effects of green tea. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A mixture of Salacia oblonga extract and IP-PA1 reduces fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels

PubMed Central

Nakata, Kazue; Taniguchi, Yoshie; Yoshioka, Noriko; Yoshida, Aya; Inagawa, Hiroyuki; Nakamoto, Takeru; Yoshimura, Hiroshi; Miyake, Shin-ichiro; Kohchi, Chie; Kuroki, Masahide

2011-01-01

At present, lifestyle-related diseases are one of the most critical health issues worldwide. It has been reported that lipopolysaccharide derived from a Gram-negative bacteria (IP-PA1) symbiotic with wheat exhibited several advantageous biological effects, such as the reduction of plasma glucose levels in NOD mice and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in WHHL rabbits. In this study, the beneficial effects on plasma glucose and lipids of a tea (SI tea) consisting of IP-PA1 and Salacia (which contains an inhibitor of α-glucosidase) were investigated in the KK-Ay/TaJcl type 2 diabetic model mice and in human subjects with premetabolic syndrome in a double-blind, randomized study. SI tea significantly decreased plasma glucose levels in KK-Ay/TaJcl mice. A clinical trial of SI tea was performed with 41 subjects between the ages of 40 and 69, who belonged either to a high plasma glucose group (HG: FPG 100-125 mg/dl) or to a hyperlipidemia group (HL: TG ≥ 150 mg/dl, or LDL ≥ 120 mg/dl, or HDL < 40 mg/dl). These subjects ingested either Salacia without IP-PA1 (the control) or SI tea. Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, and 60 days after initiating SI tea treatment, and were measured for FPG, HbA1c, TG, LDL, and HDL. These results showed that SI tea reduced FPG and HbA1c more rapidly than the control in the HL group, and also significantly improved LDL and HDL levels in the HG group. Thus, SI tea may be helpful in preventing lifestyle-related diseases. PMID:22125681

Is container type the biggest predictor of trace element and BPA leaching from drinking water bottles?

PubMed

Rowell, Candace; Kuiper, Nora; Preud'Homme, Hugues

2016-07-01

The knowledge-base of bottled water leachate is highly contradictory due to varying methodologies and limited multi-elemental and/or molecular analyses; understanding the range of contaminants and their pathways is required. This study determined the leaching potential and leaching kinetics of trace elements, using consistent comprehensive quantitative and semi-quantitative (79 elements total) analyses, and BPA, using isotopic dilution and MEPS pre-concentration with UHPLC-ESI-QTOF. Statistical methods were used to determine confounders and predictors of leaching and human health risk throughout 12days of UV exposure and after exposure to elevated temperature. Various types of water were used to assess the impact of water quality. Results suggest Sb leaching is primarily dependent upon water quality, not container type. Bottle type is a predictor of elemental leaching for Pb, Ba, Cr, Cu, Mn and Sr; BPA was detected in samples from polycarbonate containers. Health risks from the consumption of bottled water increase after UV exposure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrate, sulphate and chloride contents in public drinking water supplies in Sicily, Italy.

PubMed

D'Alessandro, Walter; Bellomo, Sergio; Parello, Francesco; Bonfanti, Pietro; Brusca, Lorenzo; Longo, Manfredi; Maugeri, Roberto

2012-05-01

Water samples collected from public drinking water supplies in Sicily were analysed for electric conductivity and for their chloride, sulphate and nitrate contents. The samples were collected as uniformly as possible from throughout the Sicilian territory, with an average sampling density of about one sample for every 7,600 inhabitants. Chloride contents that ranged from 5.53 to 1,302 mg/l were correlated strongly with electric conductivity, a parameter used as a proxy for water salinity. The highest values are attributable to seawater contamination along the coasts of the island. High chloride and sulphate values attributable to evaporitic rock dissolution were found in the central part of Sicily. The nitrate concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 296 mg/l, with 31 samples (4.7% of the total) exceeding the maximum admissible concentration of 50 mg/l. Anomalous samples always came from areas of intensive agricultural usage, indicating a clear anthropogenic origin. The same parameters were also measured in bottled water sold in Sicily, and they all were within the ranges for public drinking water supplies. The calculated mean nitrate intake from consuming public water supplies (16.1 mg/l) did not differ significantly from that of bottled water (15.2 mg/l). Although the quality of public water supplies needs to be improved by eliminating those that do not comply with the current drinking water limits, at present it does not justify the high consumption of bottled water (at least for nitrate contents).

Optimized LWIR enhancement of nanosecond and femtosecond LIBS uranium emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akpovo, Codjo A.; Ford, Alan; Johnson, Lewis

2016-05-01

A carbon dioxide (CO2) transverse electrical breakdown in atmosphere (TEA), pulsed laser was used to enhance the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) spectral signatures of uranium under nanosecond (ns) and femtosecond (fs) ablation. The peak areas of both ionic and neutral species increased by one order of magnitude for ns-ablation and two orders of magnitude for fs-ablation over LIBS when the CO2 TEA laser was used with samples of dried solutions of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate (UO2(NO3)2·6H2O) on silicon wafers. Electron temperature and density measurements show that the spectral emission improvement from using the TEA laser comes from plasma reheating.

Rapid, direct determination of polyphenols in tea by reversed-phase column liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Ding, M; Yang, H; Xiao, S

1999-07-23

Column liquid chromatography on a C18-bonded silica column with water-methanol-acetic acid as eluent was used to determine polyphenols and caffeine in tea. Without any pretreatment, catechin, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, epigallocatechin, epicatechin and caffeine were separated successfully within 15 min. The detection limits (S/N = 3) of polyphenols studied were 1.8-24 mg/l at a detection wavelength 270 nm. The linear range of the peak area calibration curves for the analytes were over two orders of magnitude with a correlation coefficient of 0.996-0.999. Using this method, some Chinese tea samples were analyzed with a good reproducibility (RSD are below 5%).

Rapid detection of talcum powder in tea using FT-IR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaoli; Zhang, Yuying; He, Yong

2016-01-01

This paper investigated the feasibility of Fourier transform infrared transmission (FT-IR) spectroscopy to detect talcum powder illegally added in tea based on chemometric methods. Firstly, 210 samples of tea powder with 13 dose levels of talcum powder were prepared for FT-IR spectra acquirement. In order to highlight the slight variations in FT-IR spectra, smoothing, normalize and standard normal variate (SNV) were employed to preprocess the raw spectra. Among them, SNV preprocessing had the best performance with high correlation of prediction (RP = 0.948) and low root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP = 0.108) of partial least squares (PLS) model. Then 18 characteristic wavenumbers were selected based on a hybrid of backward interval partial least squares (biPLS) regression, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithm and successive projections algorithm (SPA). These characteristic wavenumbers only accounted for 0.64% of the full wavenumbers. Following that, 18 characteristic wavenumbers were used to build linear and nonlinear determination models by PLS regression and extreme learning machine (ELM), respectively. The optimal model with RP = 0.963 and RMSEP = 0.137 was achieved by ELM algorithm. These results demonstrated that FT-IR spectroscopy with chemometrics could be used successfully to detect talcum powder in tea. PMID:27468701

Reference values of cadmium, arsenic and manganese in blood and factors associated with exposure levels among adult population of Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil.

PubMed

Freire, Carmen; Koifman, Rosalina Jorge; Fujimoto, Denys; de Oliveira Souza, Vanessa Cristina; Barbosa, Fernando; Koifman, Sergio

2015-06-01

This study aimed to investigate the distribution and factors influencing blood levels of Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), and Manganese (Mn), and to determine their reference values in a sample of blood donors residing in Rio Branco, capital city of Acre State, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from all blood donors attending the Central Hemotherapic Unit in Rio Branco between 2010 and 2011. Among these, 1183 donors (98.9%) answered to a questionnaire on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Blood metal concentrations were determined by atomic spectrometry. Association between Cd, As and Mn levels and donors' characteristics was examined by linear regression analysis. Reference values were estimated as the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of the 95th percentile of metal levels. References values were 0.87 μg L(-1) for Cd, 9.87 μg L(-1) for As, and 29.32 μg L(-1) for Mn. Reference values of Cd and As in smokers were 2.66 and 10.86 μg L(-1), respectively. Factors contributing to increase Cd levels were smoking, ethnicity (non-white), and lower education, whereas drinking tea and non-bottled water were associated with lower Cd. Lower levels of As were associated with higher household income, living near industrial facilities, working in a glass factory, a compost plant or in metal mining activities. Risk factors for Mn exposure were not identified. In general, blood Cd concentrations were in the range of exposure levels reported for other people from the general population, whereas levels of As and Mn were higher than in other non-occupationally exposed populations elsewhere. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method development for determination of migrated phthalate acid esters from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging into traditional Iranian drinking beverage (Doogh) samples: a novel approach of MSPE-GC/MS technique.

PubMed

Kiani, Amin; Ahmadloo, Mahsa; Shariatifar, Nabi; Moazzen, Mojtaba; Baghani, Abbas Norouzian; Khaniki, GholamReza Jahed; Taghinezhad, Ali; Kouhpayeh, Amin; Mousavi Khaneghah, Amin; Ghajarbeygi, Peyman

2018-05-01

In the current study, a novel magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) technique combined with a gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) was developed to determine the phthalate ester content of bottled Doogh samples. Doogh is a yogurt-based drinking beverage, which is frequently consumed in Middle East and Balkans. It is produced by stirring yogurt in Chern separation machine and consists of substances such as water, yogurt, and salt in addition to aqueous extracts of native herbs. The magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-Fe 3 O 4 ) were used as adsorbents of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) due to a superior adsorption capability of hydrophobic compounds. In this context, the quantity of the extractable migrated phthalate esters (dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-N-octyl phthalate (DNOP), and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into Doogh samples was measured. The correlation between the concentration of migrated PAEs and some factors such as the type of Doogh (gaseous and without gas), difference in brand (five brands), volume (1500 and 300 mL), and the storage time also was investigated. The migration level into Doogh samples was increased by incorporating of gas as well as increasing the volume of PET bottles. Also, with elaborating of storage time, the migration of some phthalates such as DEHP (the mean from 2419.85 ng L -1 in the first week to 2716.15 ng L -1 in the second month), DEP, and total phthalate was increased. However, no significant difference in concentrations of migrated phthalate esters among different examined brands was noted. Finally, the concentration of migrated PAEs from bottle into all the examined Doogh samples was below the defined standards by EPA; 6 μg/L for DEHP in drinking water. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Chamomile tea improves glycemic indices and antioxidants status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Zemestani, Maryam; Rafraf, Maryam; Asghari-Jafarabadi, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Oxidative stress is a major factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes complications. The objectives were to investigate the effects of chamomile tea consumption on glycemic control and antioxidant status in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2 DM). This single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 64 subjects with T2 DM (males and females) ages 30 to 60 y. The intervention group (n = 32) consumed chamomile tea (3 g/150 mL hot water) 3 times per day immediately after meals for 8 wk. The control group (n = 32) followed a water regimen for same intervention period. Fasting blood samples, anthropometric measurements, and 3-d, 24-h dietary recalls were collected at the baseline and at the end of the trial. Data were analyzed by independent t test, paired t test, and analysis of covariance. Chamomile tea significantly decreased concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin, serum insulin levels, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and serum malondialdehyde, compared with control group (all P < 0.05). Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activities were significantly increased by 6.81%, 26.16 %, 36.71 % and 45.06% respectively in chamomile group compared with these variables in control group at the end of the intervention (all P < 0.05). Short term intake of chamomile tea has beneficial effects on glycemic control and antioxidant status in patients with T2 DM. A larger sample population and a longer intervention period may be required to show significant clinical improvements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extracellular blockade of K(+) channels by TEA: results from molecular dynamics simulations of the KcsA channel.

PubMed

Crouzy, S; Bernèche, S; Roux, B

2001-08-01

TEA is a classical blocker of K(+) channels. From mutagenesis studies, it has been shown that external blockade by TEA is strongly dependent upon the presence of aromatic residue at Shaker position 449 which is located near the extracellular entrance to the pore (Heginbotham, L., and R. MacKinnon. 1992. Neuron. 8:483-491). The data suggest that TEA interacts simultaneously with the aromatic residues of the four monomers. The determination of the 3-D structure of the KcsA channel using X-ray crystallography (Doyle, D.A., J.M. Cabral, R.A. Pfuetzner, A. Kuo, J.M. Gulbis, S.L. Cohen, B.T. Chait, and R. MacKinnon. 1998. Science. 280:69-77) has raised some issues that remain currently unresolved concerning the interpretation of these observations. In particular, the center of the Tyr82 side chains in KcsA (corresponding to position 449 in Shaker) forms a square of 11.8-A side, a distance which is too large to allow simultaneous interactions of a TEA molecule with the four aromatic side chains. In this paper, the external blockade by TEA is explored by molecular dynamics simulations of an atomic model of KcsA in an explicit phospholipid bilayer with aqueous salt solution. It is observed, in qualitative accord with the experimental results, that TEA is stable when bound to the external side of the wild-type KcsA channel (with Tyr82), but is unstable when bound to a mutant channel in which the tyrosine residue has been substituted by a threonine. The free energy profile of TEA relative to the pore is calculated using umbrella sampling simulations to characterize quantitatively the extracellular blockade. It is found, in remarkable agreement with the experiment, that the TEA is more stably bound by 2.3 kcal/mol to the channel with four tyrosine residues. In the case of the wild-type KcsA channel, TEA (which has the shape of a flattened oblate spheroid) acts as an ideal plug blocking the pore. In contrast, it is considerably more off-centered and tilted in the case of the mutant channel. The enhanced stability conferred by the tyrosine residues does not arise from Pi-cation interactions, but appears to be due to differences in the hydration structure of the TEA. Finally, it is shown that the experimentally observed voltage dependence of TEA block, which is traditionally interpreted in terms of the physical position of the TEA along the axis of the pore, must arise indirectly via coupling with the ions in the pore.

Mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) improves glycemic and lipid profiles of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes individuals: a pilot study.

PubMed

Klein, Graziela A; Stefanuto, Aliny; Boaventura, Brunna C B; de Morais, Elayne C; Cavalcante, Luciana da S; de Andrade, Fernanda; Wazlawik, Elisabeth; Di Pietro, Patrícia F; Maraschin, Marcelo; da Silva, Edson L

2011-10-01

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) infusions have been shown to reduce plasma glucose in animals and serum lipids in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of roasted mate tea consumption, with or without dietary counseling, on the glycemic and lipid profiles of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or pre-diabetes. Twenty-nine T2DM and 29 pre-diabetes subjects were divided into 3 groups: mate tea, dietary intervention, and mate tea and dietary intervention. Individuals drank 330 mL of roasted mate tea 3 times a day and/or received nutritional counseling over 60 days. Blood samples were collected and food intake was assessed at baseline and after 20, 40, and 60 days of treatments. Mate tea consumption decreased significantly the levels of fasting glucose (25.0 mg/dL), glycated hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) (0.85%), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) (13.5 mg/dL) of T2DM subjects (p < 0.05); however, it did not change the intake of total energy, protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol, and fiber. In pre-diabetes individuals, mate tea consumption combined with nutritional counseling diminished significantly the levels of LDL-c (11 mg/dL), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) (21.5 mg/dL), and triglycerides (53.0 mg/dL) (p < 0.05). Individuals of this group decreased significantly their consumption of total fat (14%), cholesterol (28%), and saturated (23.8%) and monounsaturated (28.0%) fatty acids, and increased their fiber intake by 35% (p < 0.05). Mate tea consumption improved the glycemic control and lipid profile of T2DM subjects, and mate tea consumption combined with nutritional intervention was highly effective in decreasing serum lipid parameters of pre-diabetes individuals, which may reduce their risk of developing coronary disease.

Determination of nicotianamine in soy sauce and other plant-based foods by LC-MS/MS.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Hitomi; Uchida, Riichiro

2012-10-10

Nicotianamine is a nonproteinogenic amino acid, known to be an important metal chelator in plants. Recently, the antihypertensive effect of nicotianamine was discovered. In this study, a simple method to determine nicotianamine was developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with a multimode ODS column. This method does not need derivatizing or ion-pairing reagents to retain nicotianamine, which is known for its poor retention on reversed-phase columns because of its high polarity. Moreover, this method showed a sufficient limit of detection (0.5 ng/mL), so it was found to be suitable for the analysis of nicotianamine in soy sauce and other foods, without cleanup. To subtract the matrix effect during LC-MS/MS analysis, a standard addition method was used. The levels of nicotianamine in soy sauce ranged from <0.25 to 71 μg/g. Nicotianamine was also determined in other foods, including soy milk, vegetable juice, fruit juice, and bottled tea.

Trial Development of a Mobile Feeding Assistive Robotic Arm for People with Physical Disabilities of the Extremities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uehara, Hideyuki; Higa, Hiroki; Soken, Takashi; Namihira, Yoshinori

A mobile feeding assistive robotic arm for people with physical disabilities of the extremities has been developed in this paper. This system is composed of a robotic arm, microcontroller, and its interface. The main unit of the robotic arm can be contained in a laptop computer's briefcase. Its weight is 5kg, including two 12-V lead acid rechargeable batteries. This robotic arm can be also mounted on a wheelchair. To verify performance of the mobile robotic arm system, drinking tea task was experimentally performed by two able-bodied subjects as well as three persons suffering from muscular dystrophy. From the experimental results, it was clear that they could smoothly carry out the drinking task, and that the robotic arm could firmly grasp a commercially available 500-ml plastic bottle. The eating task was also performed by the two able-bodied subjects. The experimental results showed that they could eat porridge by using a spoon without any difficulty.

Aluminium in foodstuffs and diets in Sweden.

PubMed

Jorhem, L; Haegglund, G

1992-01-01

The levels of aluminium have been determined in a number of individual foodstuffs on the Swedish market and in 24 h duplicate diets collected by women living in the Stockholm area. The results show that the levels in most foods are very low and that the level in vegetables can vary by a factor 10. Beverages from aluminium cans were found to have aluminium levels not markedly different from those in glass bottles. Based on the results of the analysis of individual foods, the average Swedish daily diet was calculated to contain about 0.6 mg aluminium, whereas the mean content of the collected duplicate diets was 13 mg. A cake made from a mix containing aluminium phosphate in the baking soda was identified as the most important contributor of aluminium to the duplicate diets. Tea and aluminium utensils were estimated to increase the aluminium content of the diets by approximately 4 and 2 mg/day, respectively. The results also indicate that a considerable amount of aluminium must be introduced from other sources.

Effects of γ-radiation on microbial load and antioxidant proprieties in green tea irradiated with different water activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanaro, G. B.; Hassimotto, N. M. A.; Bastos, D. H. M.; Villavicencio, A. L. C. H.

2015-02-01

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of gamma radiation on green tea irradiated with different water activities. The green tea samples had their Aw adjusted to three values (0.93, 0.65, and 0.17) and were irradiated in 60Co source at doses of 0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 kGy. The methods used were: microbiology, total phenolic compounds quantification, antioxidant activity by ORAC, and quantification of the main antioxidants. It was observed that the greater the amount of free water present in the samples, lower was the dose to achieve microbiological control. Despite the irradiation with 5.0 kGy with high water activity has a small decrease in phenolic compounds and in some catechins content, this condition is recommended once was the dose to ensure microbiological safety without interfering in the main catechins and the antioxidant activity.

Stability of extemporaneously compounded dexamethasone in glass and plastic bottles and plastic syringes.

PubMed

Ensom, Mary H H; Décarie, Diane

2014-07-01

Dexamethasone is widely used to treat rheumatic and endocrine disorders and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. A palatable, alcohol-free liquid formulation, with a suitable concentration to allow reasonable administration volume, is available only via extemporaneous compounding. To evaluate the stability of dexamethasone suspensions in commercially available vehicles (Oral Mix and Oral Mix SF) in various types of containers after storage at 25°C and 4°C for up to 91 days. Dexamethasone suspensions (1 mg/mL) were prepared in Oral Mix and Oral Mix SF and then transferred to amber glass and plastic prescription bottles and plastic oral syringes. Suspensions in all 3 types of containers were stored at 25°C; suspensions in glass and plastic bottles were also stored at 4°C. Samples were collected weekly from each container up to 28 days and then every 2 weeks up to 91 days. The samples were analyzed by a validated, stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography - ultraviolet detection method. A suspension was considered stable if it maintained at least 90% of its initial dexamethasone concentration. Changes in colour, taste, odour, precipitation (and ease of resuspension), and pH were used to assess physical compatibility. All suspensions maintained at least 96% of the original concentration for up to 91 days with storage at 25°C or at 4°C. No notable changes in colour, taste, odour, precipitation, or pH were observed over the 91-day period. Dexamethasone suspensions (1 mg/mL) in Oral Mix and Oral Mix SF, stored in amber glass or plastic bottles or plastic syringes at 25°C or in amber glass or plastic bottles at 4°C can be expected to remain stable for up to 91 days.

[Simultaneous determination of 11 bisphenols in plastic bottled drinking water by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Gou, Xinlei; Gao, Xia; Hu, Guanghui; Chi, Haitao; Le, Shengfeng; Wang, Wei; Liu, Weili

2014-09-01

A sensitive method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 11 bisphenols in plastic bottled drinking water by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The samples were freeze-dried under vacuum and then dissolved with methanol. The separation was performed on a UPLC BEH C18 column (100 mm x 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) by using 0.1% (v/v) NH3 · H2O and methanol as mobile phases with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. The electrospray ionization (ESI) source in negative ion mode was used for the analysis of the 11 bisphenols in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The results verified that the standard curves for the 11 bisphenols were obtained with good correlation coefficients (R2) > 0.997 in their concentration ranges. The limits of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) for the 11 bisphenols were in the range of 0.01-1.00 μg/L. The mean recoveries for the 11 bisphenols at three spiked levels (low, middle, high) were 75.3%-102.1% with the relative standard deviations of 1.5%-8.9%. Seven plastic bottled drinking water samples were tested, and no bisphenol was found. The method is accurate, simple, rapid and feasible for the simultaneous determination of bisphenols in plastic bottled drinking water.

Source of drinking water and other risk factors for dental fluorosis in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

van der Hoek, Wim; Ekanayake, Lilani; Rajasooriyar, Lorraine; Karunaratne, Ravi

2003-09-01

This study was done to describe the association between source of drinking water and other potential risk factors with dental fluorosis. Prevalence of dental fluorosis among 518 14-year-old students in the south of Sri Lanka was 43.2%. The drinking water sources of the students were described and fluoride samples were taken. There was a strong association between water fluoride level and prevalence of fluorosis. Tea drinking before 7 years of age was also an independent risk factor in a multivariate analysis. Having been fed with formula bottle milk as an infant seemed to increase the risk although the effect was not statistically significant. No clear effects could be found for using fluoridated toothpaste, occupation of the father, and socio-economic status. Drinking water obtained from surface water sources had lower fluoride levels (median 0.22 mg l(-1)) than water from deep tube wells (median 0.80 mg l(-1)). Most families used shallow dug wells and these had a median fluoride value of 0.48 mg l(-1) but with a wide range from 0.09 to 5.90 mg l(-1). Shallow wells located close to irrigation canals or other surface water had lower fluoride values than wells located further away. Fluoride levels have to be taken into account when planning drinking water projects. From the point of view of prevention of dental fluorosis, drinking water from surface sources or from shallow wells located close to surface water would be preferable.

Effects of tea or tea extract on metabolic profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of ten randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Li, Yanchuan; Wang, Cheng; Huai, Qingjie; Guo, Fuchuan; Liu, Liyan; Feng, Rennan; Sun, Changhao

2016-01-01

As consumption of tea has been confirmed as a protective factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), it would be interesting to know if T2DM patients could benefit from tea. Because of small sample sizes and inconsistent results of previous studies, we performed this meta-analysis to reevaluate the effects of tea or tea extract on all available outcomes in patients with T2DM. We systematically searched electronic databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE to identify randomized controlled trials of tea in T2DM patients up to January 2015. Weight mean differences for the changes in all outcomes were pooled by Review Manager 5.2 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, England). A total of ten trials including 608 subjects were identified. The meta-analysis found that tea could alleviate the decrease of fasting blood insulin [1.30 U/L, 95% CI (0.36, 2.24)], and reduced waist circumference only in more than 8-week intervention [-2.70 cm, 95% CI (-4.72, -0.69)], whereas there were no statistically significant differences with regard to homeostasis model of insulin resistance 0.38 (-0.18, 0.95), fasting blood glucose -0.05 mmol/L (-0.51, 0.40), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol 0.07 mmol/L (-0.15, 0.29), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol 0.01 mmol/L (-0.08, 0.09), body mass index -0.15 kg/m(2) (-0.50, 0.21), SBP 0.35 mmHg (-3.54, 4.24), DBP -1.02 mmHg (-3.53, 1.48), triglycerides -0.11 mmol/L (-0.28, 0.05) and fasting cholesterol -0.05 mmol/L (-0.20, 0.11) in patients with T2DM, and leptin, ADPN, CRE and UA were also non-significant. The intervention of tea or tea extraction could maintain a stable fasting blood insulin and reduce waist circumference in the T2DM patients; however, the effects on other outcomes were not significant. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Minimum and Maximum Times Required to Obtain Representative Suspended Sediment Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gitto, A.; Venditti, J. G.; Kostaschuk, R.; Church, M. A.

2014-12-01

Bottle sampling is a convenient method of obtaining suspended sediment measurements for the development of sediment budgets. While these methods are generally considered to be reliable, recent analysis of depth-integrated sampling has identified considerable uncertainty in measurements of grain-size concentration between grain-size classes of multiple samples. Point-integrated bottle sampling is assumed to represent the mean concentration of suspended sediment but the uncertainty surrounding this method is not well understood. Here we examine at-a-point variability in velocity, suspended sediment concentration, grain-size distribution, and grain-size moments to determine if traditional point-integrated methods provide a representative sample of suspended sediment. We present continuous hour-long observations of suspended sediment from the sand-bedded portion of the Fraser River at Mission, British Columbia, Canada, using a LISST laser-diffraction instrument. Spectral analysis suggests that there are no statistically significant peak in energy density, suggesting the absence of periodic fluctuations in flow and suspended sediment. However, a slope break in the spectra at 0.003 Hz corresponds to a period of 5.5 minutes. This coincides with the threshold between large-scale turbulent eddies that scale with channel width/mean velocity and hydraulic phenomena related to channel dynamics. This suggests that suspended sediment samples taken over a period longer than 5.5 minutes incorporate variability that is larger scale than turbulent phenomena in this channel. Examination of 5.5-minute periods of our time series indicate that ~20% of the time a stable mean value of volumetric concentration is reached within 30 seconds, a typical bottle sample duration. In ~12% of measurements a stable mean was not reached over the 5.5 minute sample duration. The remaining measurements achieve a stable mean in an even distribution over the intervening interval.

Green tea consumption and breast cancer risk in Japanese women: a case-control study.

PubMed

Iwasaki, Motoki; Mizusawa, Junki; Kasuga, Yoshio; Yokoyama, Shiro; Onuma, Hiroshi; Nishimura, Hideki; Kusama, Ritsu; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2014-01-01

Although many in vitro and animal studies have suggested a protective effect of green tea against breast cancer, only a few epidemiological studies have examined this association, and findings have been inconsistent. We examined the association between green tea consumption and breast cancer risk in consideration of the hormone receptor status of tumors and investigated whether the association was modified by dietary and genetic factors based on a hospital-based case-control study in Nagano, Japan. A total of 369 pairs completed a validated food frequency questionnaire and provided blood samples. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped: CYP19A1 (rs10046), COMT (rs4680), MTHFR C677T (rs1801133), and MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131). We found no inverse association between green tea consumption and breast cancer risk. Compared with women who drank less than 120 ml of green tea per day, the adjusted odds ratio for women who drank more than 600 ml was 1.27 (95% confidence interval = 0.75-2.14; P for trend = 0.20). We also found no inverse association for either tumor subtype. No substantial effect modification was observed for menopausal status, 4 SNPs, or dietary intake of folate or isoflavone. This study provides additional evidence that green tea consumption is not associated with a decreased risk.

The Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT), a randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of green tea extract on biomarkers of breast cancer risk: Study rationale, design, methods, and participant characteristics

PubMed Central

Samavat, Hamed; Dostal, Allison M.; Wang, Renwei; Bedell, Sarah; Emory, Tim H.; Ursin, Giske; Torkelson, Carolyn J.; Gross, Myron D.; Le, Chap T.; Yu, Mimi C.; Yang, Chung S.; Yee, Douglas; Wu, Anna H.; Yuan, Jian-Min; Kurzer, Mindy S.

2015-01-01

Purpose The Minnesota Green Tea Trial (MGTT) was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial investigating the effect of daily green tea extract consumption for 12 months on biomarkers of breast cancer risk. Methods Participants were healthy postmenopausal women at high risk of breast cancer due to dense breast tissue with differing catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotypes. The intervention was a green tea catechin extract containing 843.0 ± 44.0 mg/day epigallocatechin gallate or placebo capsules for one year. Annual digital screening mammograms were obtained at baseline and month 12, and fasting blood and 24-hour urine samples were provided at baseline, months 6, and 12. Primary endpoints included changes in percent mammographic density, circulating endogenous sex hormones and insulin-like growth factor axis proteins; secondary endpoints were changes in urinary estrogens and estrogen metabolites and circulating F2-isoprostanes, a biomarker of oxidative stress. Results The MGTT screened more than 100,000 mammograms and randomized 1075 participants based on treatment (green tea extract vs. placebo), stratified by COMT genotype activity (high COMT vs. low/intermediate COMT genotype activity). 937 women successfully completed the study and 138 dropped out (overall dropout rate= 12.8%). Conclusions In this paper we report the rationale, design, recruitment, participant characteristics, and methods for biomarker and statistical analyses. PMID:26206423

Direct Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria From Positive Blood Culture Bottles by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and the Vitek 2 System

PubMed Central

Jo, Sung Jin; Park, Kang Gyun; Han, Kyungja; Park, Dong Jin

2016-01-01

Background We evaluated the reliability and accuracy of the combined use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) bacterial identification and Vitek 2 antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for bacteria from positive blood culture bottles. Methods Direct identification and AST were performed in parallel to the standard methods in monomicrobial positive blood culture bottles. In total, 254 isolates grown on aerobic and/or anaerobic bottles were identified with MALDI-TOF Vitek MS (bioMérieux, France), and 1,978 microorganism/antimicrobial agent combinations were assessed. For isolates from anaerobic bottles, an aliquot of the culture broth was centrifuged, washed, and filtered through a nylon mesh. For isolates from aerobic/pediatric bottles, a lysis step using 9.26% ammonium chloride solution and 2% saponin solution was included. Results The overall correct identification rate was 81.8% (208/254) and that for gram-positive/gram-negative isolates was 73.9%/92.6%, respectively, and it was 81.8%, 87.6%, and 57.9% for isolates from aerobic, anaerobic, and pediatric bottles, respectively. Identification was not possible in 45 cases, and most of these isolates were streptococci (N=14) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (N=11). Misidentification occurred only in one case. Compared with standard methods, direct AST showed 97.9% (1,936/1,978) agreement with very major error of 0.25%, major error of 0.05%, and minor error of 1.8%. Conclusions This simple and cost-effective sample preparation method gives reliable results for the direct identification and AST of bacteria. For the identification of streptococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci, the method should be further improved. PMID:26709258

Drinking water management: health risk perceptions and choices in First Nations and non-First Nations communities in Canada.

PubMed

Dupont, Diane; Waldner, Cheryl; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Plummer, Ryan; Carter, Blair; Cave, Kate; Zagozewski, Rebecca

2014-05-30

The relationship between tap water and health has been a topic of public concern and calls for better management in Canada since well-publicized contamination events in two provinces (Ontario and Saskatchewan) in 2000-2001. This study reports the perspectives on health risks from tap water and corresponding use of, and spending on, bottled water in a number of different communities in Canada. In 2009-2010, four First Nations communities (three from Ontario and one from Saskatchewan) and a geographically diverse sample of non-First Nations Canadians were surveyed about their beliefs concerning health risks from tap water and their spending practices for bottled water as a substitute. Responses to five identical questions were examined, revealing that survey respondents from Ontario First Nations communities were more likely than non-First Nations Canadians to believe bottled water is safer than tap water (OR 1.6); more likely to report someone became ill from tap water (OR 3.6); more likely to express water and health concerns related to tap water consumption (OR 2.4); and more likely to spend more on bottled water (OR 4.9). On the other hand, participants from one Saskatchewan First Nations community were less likely than non-First Nations Canadians to believe that someone had become ill from drinking tap water (OR 3.8), less likely to believe bottled water is safer than tap (OR 2.0), and less likely to have health concerns with tap water (OR 1.5). These differences, however, did not translate into differences in the likelihood of high bottled water expenditures or being a 100% bottled water consumer. The paper discusses how the differences observed may be related to water supply and regulation, trust, perceived control, cultural background, location, and past experience.

Detection of the relatively slow-growing Propionibacterium acnes in seven matrices of blood components and advanced therapeutical medicinal products.

PubMed

Arlt, Nicole; Rothe, Remo; Juretzek, Thomas; Peltroche, Heidrun; Tonn, Torsten; Moog, Rainer

2017-06-01

Relatively slow-growing bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes represent a challenge for quality control investigations in sterility release testing of blood components and advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs). A convenient validation with 7 matrices was performed using buffy coat, stem cells, islet cells, natural killer cells, red blood cells, platelets and plasma in the microbial detection system Bact/Alert ® 3D incubator. All matrix samples were spiked twofold with Propionibacterium acnes with approximately 50 colony forming units (CFUs) per bottle in iAST and iNST culture bottles for 14days using a multishot bioball. Additionally, the stem cell preparations were also incubated in iFAplus and iFNplus culture bottles, which include neutralizing polymers. The Bact/Alert ® 3D-System detected Propionibacterium acnes in anaerobic culture bottles in buffy coat [3.3 d (=positive signal day to detection as mean value)], red blood cells [3.2 d], platelets [3.3], plasma [3.7 d], natural killer cells [3.3 d] and islet cells [4.9 d], resp. No growth of Propionibacterium was found in autologous stem cells using iAST and iNST culture bottles. However, Propionibacterium was safely detected in the iFNplus culture bottle with polymers in the stem cell matrix. A successful validation of media was performed. Our study shows that Bact/Alert ® 3D-System safely detects the relatively slow-growing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes in different matrices in a practical way except stem cells. Using the iFNplus culture bottle for stem cell products positive signals were observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physico-Chemical and Bacterial Evaluation of Packaged Drinking Water Marketed in Delhi - Potential Public Health Implications

PubMed Central

Singla, Ashish; Kundu, Hansa; P., Basavaraj; Singh, Shilpi; Singh, Khushboo; Jain, Swati

2014-01-01

Introduction: Quality of drinking water is a powerful environmental determinant of health. The main objective of introduction of bottled water in the society was its better safety, taste and convenience over tap water. The present study was conducted to assess physicochemical and bacterial qualities of bottled water and sachet water which were available in various markets of Delhi. Materials and Methods: Sixteen water bottles and four water sachets were selected through stratified random sampling from various public places in Delhi and their analysis was done at National Test House, Ghaziabad. Results were then compared with national (IS10500, IS14543) and international (WHO, FDA, USEPA) standards. Results: Bottled water showed better quality than sachet water. The mean value of copper (0.0746mg/l) in bottles exceeded the standard values of IS10500 and IS14543(0.05), while the mean value of lead (0.008mg/l) exceeded the FDA standard value (0.005). When the results of sachets were compared with those of standards, the mean values of selenium (0.1195mg/l) and lead (0.862mg/l) were found to exceed values of both Indian and International standards. For the biological parameter i.e. coliform count, the mean value for bottles was 0 (nil), whereas the mean value for sachets was 16.75, which showed the unhealthy nature of sachets. Conclusion: The parameters which were tested in the present study showed excess of various chemical and bacterial parameters in drinking water, which could pose serious threats to consumers. Thus, these results suggest a more stringent standardization of bottled water market with special attention to quality, identity and licensing by concerned authorities, to safeguard health of consumers. PMID:24783149

Direct Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria From Positive Blood Culture Bottles by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and the Vitek 2 System.

PubMed

Jo, Sung Jin; Park, Kang Gyun; Han, Kyungja; Park, Dong Jin; Park, Yeon-Joon

2016-03-01

We evaluated the reliability and accuracy of the combined use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) bacterial identification and Vitek 2 antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for bacteria from positive blood culture bottles. Direct identification and AST were performed in parallel to the standard methods in monomicrobial positive blood culture bottles. In total, 254 isolates grown on aerobic and/or anaerobic bottles were identified with MALDI-TOF Vitek MS (bioMérieux, France), and 1,978 microorganism/antimicrobial agent combinations were assessed. For isolates from anaerobic bottles, an aliquot of the culture broth was centrifuged, washed, and filtered through a nylon mesh. For isolates from aerobic/pediatric bottles, a lysis step using 9.26% ammonium chloride solution and 2% saponin solution was included. The overall correct identification rate was 81.8% (208/254) and that for gram-positive/gram-negative isolates was 73.9%/92.6%, respectively, and it was 81.8%, 87.6%, and 57.9% for isolates from aerobic, anaerobic, and pediatric bottles, respectively. Identification was not possible in 45 cases, and most of these isolates were streptococci (N=14) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (N=11). Misidentification occurred only in one case. Compared with standard methods, direct AST showed 97.9% (1,936/1,978) agreement with very major error of 0.25%, major error of 0.05%, and minor error of 1.8%. This simple and cost-effective sample preparation method gives reliable results for the direct identification and AST of bacteria. For the identification of streptococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci, the method should be further improved.

Physiological activity of irradiated green tea polyphenol on the human skin.

PubMed

An, Bong-Jeun; Kwak, Jae-Hoon; Son, Jun-Ho; Park, Jung-Mi; Lee, Jin-Young; Park, Tae Soon; Kim, So-Yeun; Kim, Yeoung-Sun; Jo, Cheorun; Byun, Myung-Woo

2005-01-01

Physiological activity of irradiated green tea polyphenol on the human skin was investigated for further industrial application. The green tea polyphenol was separated and irradiated at 40 kGy by y-ray. For an anti-wrinkle effect, the collagenase inhibition effect was higher in the irradiated sample (65.3%) than that of the non-irradiated control (56.8%) at 200 ppm of the concentration (p < 0.05). Collagen biosynthesis rates using a human fibroblast were 19.4% and 16.3% in the irradiated and the non-irradiated polyphenols, respectively. The tyrosinase inhibition effect, which is related to the skin-whitening effect, showed a 45.2% and 42.9% in the irradiated and the non-irradiated polyphenols, respectively, at a 100 ppm level. A higher than 90% growth inhibition on skin cancer cells (SK-MEL-2 and G361) was demonstrated in both the irradiated and the non-irradiated polyphenols. Thus, the irradiation of green tea polyphenol did not change and even increased its anti-wrinkle, skin-whitening and anticancer effects on the human skin. The results indicated that irradiated green tea polyphenol can be used as a natural ingredient with excellent physiological functions for the human skin through cosmetic or food composition.

Evaluation of the quality of herbal teas by DART/TOF-MS.

PubMed

Prchalová, J; Kovařík, F; Rajchl, A

2017-02-01

The paper focuses on the optimization, settings and validation of direct analysis in real time coupled with time-of-flight detector when used for the evaluation of the quality of selected herbal teas (fennel, chamomile, nettle, linden, peppermint, thyme, lemon balm, marigold, sage, rose hip and St. John's wort). The ionization mode, the optimal ionization temperature and the type of solvent for sample extraction were optimized. The characteristic compounds of the analysed herbal teas (glycosides, flavonoids and phenolic and terpenic substances, such as chamazulene, anethole, menthol, thymol, salviol and hypericin) were detected. The obtained mass spectra were evaluated by multidimensional chemometric methods, such as cluster analysis, linear discriminate analysis and principal component analysis. The chemometric methods showed that the single variety herbal teas were grouped according to their taxonomic affiliation. The developed method is suitable for quick identification of herbs and can be potentially used for assessing the quality and authenticity of herbal teas. Direct analysis in real time/time-of-flight-MS is also suitable for the evaluation of selected substances contained in the mentioned herbs and herbal products. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Essential and toxic metals in tea (Camellia sinensis) imported and produced in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Ashenef, Ayenew

2014-01-01

Sixteen samples of packed tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) were purchased from supermarkets in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for metal analysis. Elements were measured by FAAS and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS) employing external calibration curves. The levels in mg/kg dried weight basis varied from Cu: 4.7-12.9; Cd: 0.02-2.83; Pb: <0.01-2.29; Zn: 8.6-198.3; Mn: 81.7-962.2; Al: 3376.4-10,369.3; K: 7667.7-10,775; Li: 0.2-0.62; Ba: 9.4-1407.1; Mg: 1145.6-1834.1; Fe: 286.4-880.9; Ca: 1414.2-2646.0; Na: 147.1-557.7. Levels of exposure to the investigated metals by drinking tea were checked with the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the WHO/FAO. Considering the average daily consumption rate of tea alone, the possible daily intakes of Al, Ba and Mn surpass the amenability to the side effects associated with these elements like Alzheimer's disease, kidney damage and Parkinson's disease, respectively, for which drinking tea should cause awareness. The other investigated elements are in the acceptable range.

[Effect of the near infrared spectrum resolution on the nitrogen content model in green tea].

PubMed

Yang, Dan; Liu, Xin; Liu, Hong-Gang; Zhang, Ying-Bin; Yin, Peng

2013-07-01

The effect of different resolutions(2, 4, 6, 8, 16 cm(-1)) on the near infrared spectrogram and nitrogen content model for green tea was studied. Test results showed that instrument resolution could influence the spectra quality. The higher the resolution was, the richer the information would be, but the noise would increase. With lower resolution, spectrogram would be much more smooth, but get seriously distorted, and prediction accuracy would decrease at the same time. The partial least squares model was built after spectral pretreatment. When resolution was 4 cm(-1), the RMSEP value of external validation set was 0.054 6, which was obviously lower than others. The Corr. Coeff. was 0.998 2. Its prediction performance was the best and the prediction accuracy better. STDEV and RSD were 0.020 and 0.334 respectively. Resolution 4 cm(-1) for near infrared spectrometer collecting green tea samples was the optimal resolution. This research can provide a reference for parameters selection when collecting green tea spectra with near infrared spectrometer, improve the stability and prediction performance of the model and promote the application and promotion of the near infrared spectroscopy for tea.

What factors explain pregnant women’s feeding intentions in Bradford, England: A multi-methods, multi-ethnic study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Using a multi-methods approach we aimed to explore the relative prediction of demographic, socioeconomic and modifiable predictors from the Theory of Planned behaviour (TPB) in explaining feeding intentions amongst a multi-ethnic sample. Methods 476 women completed a questionnaire at 28 weeks gestation. They were grouped into breastfeeding (N = 258), mixed-feeding (N = 50), bottle-feeding (N = 88) intenders, or a no clear intention (N = 88). Multinomial adjusted regressions explored the influence of modifiable TPB factors, along with ethnicity and socioeconomic status in predicting group membership. Free-text responses allowed women to elaborate on reasons behind their intention. Results TPB factors were significant predictors of feeding intention. Women with high intention to breastfeed were less likely to report high attitudes in any other feeding alternative. Bottle-feeding intenders reported poorer self-efficacy regarding breastfeeding compared to breastfeeding intenders (prevalence rate ratio, PRR = 0.10). Mixed and bottle-feeding intenders reported greater self-efficacy for mixed-feeding (PRR = 1.80, 5.50 respectively). Descriptive norms for mixed (PRR = 13.77) and bottle-feeding (PRR = 10.68) were predictive of mixed-feeding intention. Reasons for breastfeeding intentions related to health considerations, whilst bottle-feeding reasons related to convenience. Mixed-feeding intenders reported both breast and bottle-related factors. Conclusions Understanding modifiable predictors related to feeding intentions like TPB factors can help professionals target appropriate interventions to encourage breastfeeding. PMID:24472414

Ancient water bottle use and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure among California Indians: a prehistoric health risk assessment.

PubMed

Sholts, Sabrina B; Smith, Kevin; Wallin, Cecilia; Ahmed, Trifa M; Wärmländer, Sebastian K T S

2017-06-23

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the main toxic compounds in natural bitumen, a fossil material used by modern and ancient societies around the world. The adverse health effects of PAHs on modern humans are well established, but their health impacts on past populations are unclear. It has previously been suggested that a prehistoric health decline among the native people living on the California Channel Islands may have been related to PAH exposure. Here, we assess the potential health risks of PAH exposure from the use and manufacture of bitumen-coated water bottles by ancient California Indian societies. We replicated prehistoric bitumen-coated water bottles with traditional materials and techniques of California Indians, based on ethnographic and archaeological evidence. In order to estimate PAH exposure related to water bottle manufacture and use, we conducted controlled experiments to measure PAH contamination 1) in air during the manufacturing process and 2) in water and olive oil stored in a completed bottle for varying periods of time. Samples were analyzed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for concentrations of the 16 PAHs identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as priority pollutants. Eight PAHs were detected in concentrations of 1-10 μg/m 3 in air during bottle production and 50-900 ng/L in water after 2 months of storage, ranging from two-ring (naphthalene and methylnaphthalene) to four-ring (fluoranthene) molecules. All 16 PAHs analyzed were detected in olive oil after 2 days (2 to 35 μg/kg), 2 weeks (3 to 66 μg/kg), and 2 months (5 to 140 μg/kg) of storage. For ancient California Indians, water stored in bitumen-coated water bottles was not a significant source of PAH exposure, but production of such bottles could have resulted in harmful airborne PAH exposure.

NMR Metabolic profiling of green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leaves grown at Kemuning, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuni, D. S. C.; Kristanti, M. W.; Putri, R. K.; Rinanto, Y.

2017-01-01

Green tea (Camellia sinensis L.) has been famous as a beverage and natural medicine. It contains a broad range of primary and secondary metabolites i.e. polyphenols. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has been widely used for metabolic profiling in medicinal plants. It provides a very fast and detailed analysis of the biomolecular composition of crude extracts. Moreover, an NMR spectrum is a physical characteristic of a compound and thus highly reproducible. Therefore, this study aims to profile metabolites of three different varieties of green tea C. Sinensis grown in Kemuning, Middle Java. Three varieties of green tea collected on Kemuning (TR1 2025, Gambung 4/5, and Chiaruan 143) were used in this study. 1H-NMR spectra were recorded at 230C on a 400 MHz Agilent WB (Widebore). The analysis was performed on dried green tea leaves and analyzed by 1H-NMR, 2D-J-resolved and 1H-1H correlated spectroscopy (COSY). MestRenova version 11.0.0 applied to identify metabolites in samples. A 1H-NMR spectrum of tea showed amino acids and organic acids signal at the area δ 0.8-4.0. These were theanine, alanine, threonine, succinic acid, aspartic acid, lactic acid. Anomeric protons of carbohydrate were shown by the region of β-glucose, α-glucose, fructose and sucrose. The phenolic region was depicted at area δ 5.5-8.5. Epigallocatechin derivates and caffeine were detected in the tea leaves. The detail compound identification was observed and discussed in the text.

TEA DRINKING AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN OLDEST-OLD CHINESE

PubMed Central

Feng, L.; Li, J.; Ng, T.-P.; Lee, T.-S.; Kua, E.-H.; Zeng, Y.

2013-01-01

Objective We examined the longitudinal association between tea drinking frequency and cognitive function in a large sample of oldest-old Chinese. Design population-based longitudinal cohort study. Setting The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Participants 7139 participants aged 80 to 115 (mean age 91.4 years) who provided complete data at baseline (year 1998). Measurements Current frequency of tea drinking and past frequency at age 60 were ascertained at baseline, and baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments were performed in the years 1998 (n=7139), 2000 (n=4081), 2002 (n=2288) and 2005 (n=913) respectively. Verbal fluency test was used as measure of cognitive function. Results Tea drinking was associated at baseline with higher mean (SD) verbal fluency scores: daily=10.7 (6.6), occasional=9.2 (5.8), non-drinker=9.0 (5.5). In linear mixed effects model that adjusted for age, gender, years of schooling, physical exercise and activities score, the regression coefficient for daily drinking (at age 60) and occasional drinking was 0.72 (P<0.0001) and 0.41(P=0.01) respectively. Tea drinkers had higher verbal fluency scores throughout the follow-up period but concurrently had a steeper slope of cognitive decline as compared with non-drinkers (coefficient for the interaction term Time*Daily drinking= −0.12, P=0.02; ‘Time’ was defined as the time interval from baseline to follow-up assessments in years). Similar results were found for current tea drinking status at study baseline year (1998) as predictor variable. Conclusion Regular tea drinking is associated with better cognitive function in oldest-old Chinese. PMID:23131816

Tea drinking and cognitive function in oldest-old Chinese.

PubMed

Feng, L; Li, J; Ng, T-P; Lee, T-S; Kua, E-H; Zeng, Y

2012-01-01

We examined the longitudinal association between tea drinking frequency and cognitive function in a large sample of oldest-old Chinese. population-based longitudinal cohort study. The Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). 7139 participants aged 80 to 115 (mean age 91.4 years) who provided complete data at baseline (year 1998). Current frequency of tea drinking and past frequency at age 60 were ascertained at baseline, and baseline and follow-up cognitive assessments were performed in the years 1998 (n=7139), 2000 (n=4081), 2002 (n=2288) and 2005 (n=913) respectively. Verbal fluency test was used as measure of cognitive function. Tea drinking was associated at baseline with higher mean (SD) verbal fluency scores: daily=10.7 (6.6), occasional=9.2 (5.8), non-drinker=9.0 (5.5). In linear mixed effects model that adjusted for age, gender, years of schooling, physical exercise and activities score, the regression coefficient for daily drinking (at age 60) and occasional drinking was 0.72 (P<0.0001) and 0.41(P=0.01) respectively. Tea drinkers had higher verbal fluency scores throughout the follow-up period but concurrently had a steeper slope of cognitive decline as compared with non-drinkers (coefficient for the interaction term Time*Daily drinking= -0.12, P=0.02; "Time" was defined as the time interval from baseline to follow-up assessments in years). Similar results were found for current tea drinking status at study baseline year (1998) as predictor variable. Regular tea drinking is associated with better cognitive function in oldest-old Chinese.

Microbial diversity and component variation in Xiaguan Tuo Tea during pile fermentation

PubMed Central

Li, Min; Yang, Xinrui; Gui, Xin; Chen, Guofeng; Chu, Jiuyun; He, Xingwang; Wang, Weitao; Han, Feng

2018-01-01

Xiaguan Tuo Tea is largely consumed by the Chinese, but there is little research into the microbial diversity and component changes during the fermentation of this tea. In this study, we first used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), next-generation sequencing (NGS) and chemical analysis methods to determine the microbial abundance and diversity and the chemical composition during fermentation. The FISH results showed that the total number of microorganisms ranges from 2.3×102 to 4.0×108 cells per gram of sample during fermentation and is mainly dominated by fungi. In the early fermentation stages, molds are dominant (0.6×102~2.8×106 cells/g, 0~35 d). However, in the late stages of fermentation, yeasts are dominant (3.6×104~9.6×106 cells/g, 35~56 d). The bacteria have little effect during the fermentation of tea (102~103 cells/g, <1% of fungus values). Of these fungi, A. niger (Aspergillus niger) and B. adeninivorans (Blastobotrys adeninivorans) are identified as the two most common strains, based on Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis. Peak diversity in tea was observed at day 35 of fermentation (Shannon–Weaver index: 1.195857), and lower diversity was observed on days 6 and 56 of fermentation (Shannon–Weaver index 0.860589 and 1.119106, respectively). During the microbial fermentation, compared to the unfermented tea, the tea polyphenol content decreased by 54%, and the caffeine content increased by 59%. Theanine and free amino acid contents were reduced during fermentation by 81.1 and 92.85%, respectively. PMID:29462204

Microbial diversity and component variation in Xiaguan Tuo Tea during pile fermentation.

PubMed

Li, Haizhou; Li, Min; Yang, Xinrui; Gui, Xin; Chen, Guofeng; Chu, Jiuyun; He, Xingwang; Wang, Weitao; Han, Feng; Li, Ping

2018-01-01

Xiaguan Tuo Tea is largely consumed by the Chinese, but there is little research into the microbial diversity and component changes during the fermentation of this tea. In this study, we first used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), next-generation sequencing (NGS) and chemical analysis methods to determine the microbial abundance and diversity and the chemical composition during fermentation. The FISH results showed that the total number of microorganisms ranges from 2.3×102 to 4.0×108 cells per gram of sample during fermentation and is mainly dominated by fungi. In the early fermentation stages, molds are dominant (0.6×102~2.8×106 cells/g, 0~35 d). However, in the late stages of fermentation, yeasts are dominant (3.6×104~9.6×106 cells/g, 35~56 d). The bacteria have little effect during the fermentation of tea (102~103 cells/g, <1% of fungus values). Of these fungi, A. niger (Aspergillus niger) and B. adeninivorans (Blastobotrys adeninivorans) are identified as the two most common strains, based on Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis. Peak diversity in tea was observed at day 35 of fermentation (Shannon-Weaver index: 1.195857), and lower diversity was observed on days 6 and 56 of fermentation (Shannon-Weaver index 0.860589 and 1.119106, respectively). During the microbial fermentation, compared to the unfermented tea, the tea polyphenol content decreased by 54%, and the caffeine content increased by 59%. Theanine and free amino acid contents were reduced during fermentation by 81.1 and 92.85%, respectively.

The effects of co-administration of butter on the absorption, metabolism and excretion of catechins in rats after oral administration of tea polyphenols.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang; Han, Yuhui; Xu, Liwei; Liang, Yuhong; Chen, Xin; Li, Junsong; Wan, Xiaochun

2015-07-01

In Southwest China, tea polyphenols are usually utilized by way of butter tea. Tea polyphenols inhibit the absorption and biosynthesis of fatty acids in vivo, but the effects of butter on the pharmacokinetics of tea polyphenols have drawn less concern. A rapid UHPLC-MS/MS method was used to quantitatively determine the catechins in the plasma, feces and bile of rats after the oral administration of tea polyphenol or its combination with butter. In comparison with the single tea polyphenol treatment, the maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of the free EGCG, EGC, EC, GCG, GC and ECG significantly decreased after the co-administration of butter. The mean residence times (MRT) of the free EGCG, EGC, EC, GC and ECG were also significantly prolonged. When the plasma samples were treated with β-glucuronidase and arylsulfatase, the pharmacokinetic parameters of the total catechins (free and conjugated forms) were not affected by the co-administration of butter. These results indicated that the total absorption of catechins was not affected by butter, but the metabolism of catechins had been changed. Furthermore, the fecal catechins were significantly increased by butter. The total fecal amount and excretion ratio of all catechins were increased highly. The biliary excretion of EGCG, EGC, EC, GCG and GC was significantly increased by the co-administration of butter. To sum up, the butter changed the metabolism of catechins in vivo by decreasing the plasma concentration of the free catechins but increasing the conjugated catechins.

Analysis of the Influence of Food Colorings in Esthetic Orthodontic Elastomeric Ligatures.

PubMed

Dias da Silva, Vanessa; de Lima, Eduardo Martinelli S; Dias, Caroline; Osório, Leandro Berni

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate in vitro the color changes of esthetic orthodontic elastomeric ligatures of different shades when exposed to four food colorings commonly found in the diet of patients. The sample consisted of esthetic orthodontic elastomeric ligatures in the colors pearl, pearl blue, pearl white and colorless, which were immersed for 72 hours in five different solutions: distilled water (control group), coffee, tea, Coca-Cola ® and wine. The color changes of the esthetic orthodontic elastomeric ligatures were measured with the aid of a spectrophotometer, at T1 - as provided by the manufacturer; and T2 - after colorings process. The results indicated that the esthetic orthodontic elastomeric ligatures of all initial hues are susceptible to pigmentation. Among the evaluated colors, all changed the finished look and the color of the samples tested. In ascending order, the color of the samples was as follows: distilled water, Coca-Cola ® , black tea, wine and coffee. The substances that have a greater potential for pigmentation in esthetic orthodontic elastomeric ligatures were black tea, wine and coffee, respectively. All shades of esthetic orthodontic elastomeric ligatures are susceptible to color change.

A 1-h time interval between a meal containing iron and consumption of tea attenuates the inhibitory effects on iron absorption: a controlled trial in a cohort of healthy UK women using a stable iron isotope.

PubMed

Ahmad Fuzi, Salma F; Koller, Dagmar; Bruggraber, Sylvaine; Pereira, Dora Ia; Dainty, Jack R; Mushtaq, Sohail

2017-12-01

Background: Tea has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of nonheme iron absorption, but it remains unclear whether the timing of tea consumption relative to a meal influences iron bioavailability. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a 1-h time interval of tea consumption on nonheme iron absorption in an iron-containing meal in a cohort of iron-replete, nonanemic female subjects with the use of a stable isotope ( 57 Fe). Design: Twelve women (mean ± SD age: 24.8 ± 6.9 y) were administered a standardized porridge meal extrinsically labeled with 4 mg 57 Fe as FeSO 4 on 3 separate occasions, with a 14-d time interval between each test meal (TM). The TM was administered with water (TM-1), with tea administered simultaneously (TM-2), and with tea administered 1 h postmeal (TM-3). Fasted venous blood samples were collected for iron isotopic analysis and measurement of iron status biomarkers. Fractional iron absorption was estimated by the erythrocyte iron incorporation method. Results: Iron absorption was 5.7% ± 8.5% (TM-1), 3.6% ± 4.2% (TM-2), and 5.7% ± 5.4% (TM-3). Mean fractional iron absorption was found to be significantly higher (2.2%) when tea was administered 1 h postmeal (TM-3) than when tea was administered simultaneously with the meal (TM-2) ( P = 0.046). An ∼50% reduction in the inhibitory effect of tea (relative to water) was observed, from 37.2% (TM-2) to 18.1% (TM-3). Conclusions: This study shows that tea consumed simultaneously with an iron-containing porridge meal leads to decreased nonheme iron absorption and that a 1-h time interval between a meal and tea consumption attenuates the inhibitory effect, resulting in increased nonheme iron absorption. These findings are not only important in relation to the management of iron deficiency but should also inform dietary advice, especially that given to those at risk of deficiency. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02365103. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Rapid identification of bacteria from positive blood culture bottles by use of matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry fingerprinting.

PubMed

Christner, Martin; Rohde, Holger; Wolters, Manuel; Sobottka, Ingo; Wegscheider, Karl; Aepfelbacher, Martin

2010-05-01

Early and adequate antimicrobial therapy has been shown to improve the clinical outcome in bloodstream infections (BSI). To provide rapid pathogen identification for targeted treatment, we applied matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry fingerprinting to bacteria directly recovered from blood culture bottles. A total of 304 aerobic and anaerobic blood cultures, reported positive by a Bactec 9240 system, were subjected in parallel to differential centrifugation with subsequent mass spectrometry fingerprinting and reference identification using established microbiological methods. A representative spectrum of bloodstream pathogens was recovered from 277 samples that grew a single bacterial isolate. Species identification by direct mass spectrometry fingerprinting matched reference identification in 95% of these samples and worked equally well for aerobic and anaerobic culture bottles. Application of commonly used score cutoffs to classify the fingerprinting results led to an identification rate of 87%. Mismatching mostly resulted from insufficient bacterial numbers and preferentially occurred with Gram-positive samples. The respective spectra showed low concordance to database references and were effectively rejected by score thresholds. Spiking experiments and examination of the respective study samples even suggested applicability of the method to mixed cultures. With turnaround times around 100 min, the approach allowed for reliable pathogen identification at the day of blood culture positivity, providing treatment-relevant information within the critical phase of septic illness.

Predictors of Drinking Water Boiling and Bottled Water Consumption in Rural China: A Hierarchical Modeling Approach.

PubMed

Cohen, Alasdair; Zhang, Qi; Luo, Qing; Tao, Yong; Colford, John M; Ray, Isha

2017-06-20

Approximately two billion people drink unsafe water. Boiling is the most commonly used household water treatment (HWT) method globally and in China. HWT can make water safer, but sustained adoption is rare and bottled water consumption is growing. To successfully promote HWT, an understanding of associated socioeconomic factors is critical. We collected survey data and water samples from 450 rural households in Guangxi Province, China. Covariates were grouped into blocks to hierarchically construct modified Poisson models and estimate risk ratios (RR) associated with boiling methods, bottled water, and untreated water. Female-headed households were most likely to boil (RR = 1.36, p < 0.01), and among boilers those using electric kettles rather than pots had higher income proxies (e.g., per capita TV ownership RR = 1.42, p < 0.01). Higher-income households with younger, literate, and male heads were more likely to purchase (frequently contaminated) bottled water, or use electric kettles if they boiled. Our findings show that boiling is not an undifferentiated practice, but one with different methods of varying effectiveness, environmental impact, and adoption across socioeconomic strata. Our results can inform programs to promote safer and more efficient boiling using electric kettles, and suggest that if rural China's economy continues to grow then bottled water use will increase.

The effect of replaced recycled glass on thermal conductivity and compression properties of cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

khalil, A. S.; Mahmoud, M. A.; AL-Hathal, A.; Jawad, M. K.; Mozahim, B. M.

2018-05-01

This study deal with recycling of waste colorless glass bottles which are prepared as a powder and use them as an alternative for cement to save the environment from west and reduce some of cement(ceramic) damage and interactions with conserving physical properties of block concrete. Different weight percentage (0%, 2%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) of recycled glass bottle were use in this research to be replaced by a certain percentages of cement. Thermal conductivity was studied for prepared samples. Results show that the thermal conductivity decrease with the increase of weight percentage of glass powder comparing with the stander sample.

Antimony leaching from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used for bottled drinking water.

PubMed

Westerhoff, Paul; Prapaipong, Panjai; Shock, Everett; Hillaireau, Alice

2008-02-01

Antimony is a regulated contaminant that poses both acute and chronic health effects in drinking water. Previous reports suggest that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics used for water bottles in Europe and Canada leach antimony, but no studies on bottled water in the United States have previously been conducted. Nine commercially available bottled waters in the southwestern US (Arizona) were purchased and tested for antimony concentrations as well as for potential antimony release by the plastics that compose the bottles. The southwestern US was chosen for the study because of its high consumption of bottled water and elevated temperatures, which could increase antimony leaching from PET plastics. Antimony concentrations in the bottled waters ranged from 0.095 to 0.521 ppb, well below the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 6 ppb. The average concentration was 0.195+/-0.116 ppb at the beginning of the study and 0.226+/-0.160 ppb 3 months later, with no statistical differences; samples were stored at 22 degrees C. However, storage at higher temperatures had a significant effect on the time-dependent release of antimony. The rate of antimony (Sb) release could be fit by a power function model (Sb(t)=Sb 0 x[Time, h]k; k=8.7 x 10(-6)x[Temperature ( degrees C)](2.55); Sb 0 is the initial antimony concentration). For exposure temperatures of 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, and 85 degrees C, the exposure durations necessary to exceed the 6 ppb MCL are 176, 38, 12, 4.7, 2.3, and 1.3 days, respectively. Summertime temperatures inside of cars, garages, and enclosed storage areas can exceed 65 degrees C in Arizona, and thus could promote antimony leaching from PET bottled waters. Microwave digestion revealed that the PET plastic used by one brand contained 213+/-35 mgSb/kg plastic; leaching of all the antimony from this plastic into 0.5L of water in a bottle could result in an antimony concentration of 376 ppb. Clearly, only a small fraction of the antimony in PET plastic bottles is released into the water. Still, the use of alternative types of plastics that do not leach antimony should be considered, especially for climates where exposure to extreme conditions can promote antimony release from PET plastics.

Stability of extemporaneously prepared moxifloxacin oral suspensions.

PubMed

Hutchinson, David J; Johnson, Cary E; Klein, Kristin C

2009-04-01

The stability of extemporaneously prepared moxifloxacin oral suspensions was studied. An oral suspension of moxifloxacin 20 mg/mL was prepared by thoroughly grinding three 400-mg tablets of moxifloxacin in a glass mortar. Thirty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of each formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and were stored at room temperature (23-25 degrees C). A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the six bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 14, 28, 60, and 90 days. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 8 microg/ mL with sample diluent, the samples were assayed in duplicate by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 99% of the initial moxifloxacin remained throughout the 90-day study period in both preparations. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, and pH and no visible microbial growth in any sample. Extemporaneously compounded suspensions of moxifloxacin 20 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were stable for at least 90 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

Simultaneous Sterilization With Surface Modification Of Plastic Bottle By Plasma-Based Ion Implantation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sakudo, N.; Ikenaga, N.; Ikeda, F.

2011-01-07

Dry sterilization of polymeric material is developed. The technique utilizes the plasma-based ion implantation which is same as for surface modification of polymers. Experimental data for sterilization are obtained by using spores of Bacillus subtilis as samples. On the other hand we previously showed that the surface modification enhanced the gas barrier characteristics of plastic bottles. Comparing the implantation conditions for the sterilization experiment with those for the surface modification, we find that both sterilization and surface modification are simultaneously performed in a certain range of implantation conditions. This implies that the present bottling system for plastic vessels will bemore » simplified and streamlined by excluding the toxic peroxide water that has been used in the traditional sterilization processes.« less

Multiresidue method for the determination of pesticides in Oolong tea using QuEChERS by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Chia-Chang

2017-08-15

We propose a simple, rapid analytical method for determination of 89 pesticides in Oolong tea by GC/MS/MS. Samples were extracted via QuEChERS. The limits of detection and quantification range of the 89 pesticides were 1-25μgL -1 and 10-50μgL -1 , respectively. Good separation was attained in less than 36min. A wide linear range of 1-250μgL -1 was observed with r 2 values from 0.9955 to 0.9998. Pesticide-free tea powder spiked at 50 and 100μgL -1 . Recovery ranges of the 86 (50μgL -1 ) and 83 (100μgL -1 ) pesticides were from 60% to 120%. Relative standard deviations were less than 20%. The laboratory proficiency test (FAPAS, 2014) shows satisfactory (|z|<2) z-score values. The proposed monitoring technique rapidly and efficiently screens, multiple pesticides in Oolong tea. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of inorganic elements in cat's claw teas using ICP OES and GF AAS.

PubMed

Pereira, João B; Dantas, Kelly G F

2016-04-01

The determination of Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, Pb, and Zn by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES), and Se by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS), has been carried out in dry matter and teas from 11 samples of the cat's claw plant. The accuracy and precision values were verified against GBW 07604 (Poplar leaves) certified reference material and by the recovery test. Results showed a high content of Ca in the medicinal plant studied, followed by Mg and P. The values obtained showed that the elements studied have different concentrations depending on the method of tea preparation. The highest levels were observed in Ca and Mg, and the lowest for Se and Pb, by both infusion and decoction. Teas prepared from this plant were found to be at safe levels for human consumption, and may be suitable as sources of these elements in the human diet. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A rapid and simple determination of caffeine in teas, coffees and eight beverages.

PubMed

Sereshti, Hassan; Samadi, Soheila

2014-09-01

Caffeine was extracted and preconcentrated by the simple, fast and green method of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and analysed by gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC-NPD). The influence of main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency investigated and optimised. Under the optimal conditions, the method was successfully applied to determination of caffeine in different real samples including five types of tea (green, black, white, oolong teas and tea bag), two kinds of coffee (Nescafe coffee and coffee), and eight beverages (regular Coca Cola, Coca Cola zero, regular Pepsi, Pepsi max, Sprite, 7up, Red Bull and Hype).The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 and 0.05 μg mL(-1), respectively. Linear dynamic range (LDR) was 0.05-500 μg mL(-1) and determination coefficient (R(2)) was 0.9990. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.2% (n=5, C=1 μg mL(-1)). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transition rates of selected metals determined in various types of teas (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze) and herbal/fruit infusions.

PubMed

Schulzki, Grit; Nüßlein, Birgit; Sievers, Hartwig

2017-01-15

Teas and raw materials used as ingredients of herbal and fruit infusions (HFI) were analysed by means of ICP-MS for their content of aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead and mercury in the dry product and in the infusion. Samples of tea (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze) were selected to include different origins, types (black, green), leaf grades (whole leaf, broken, fannings, dust) and manufacturing techniques (orthodox, "crush, tear, curl"). The selected HFI raw materials (chamomile, elderberries, fennel, hibiscus, mate, peppermint, rooibos and rose hip) cover the most important matrices (flower, fruit, seed, herb, leaf) and reflect the economic significance of these HFI materials in trade. Infusions were prepared under standardised conditions representing typical household brewing. Transition rates for the investigated metals vary significantly but are mostly well below 100%. We propose default transition rates for metals to avoid overestimation of exposure levels from tea/HFI consumption. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical messages in 170-year-old champagne bottles from the Baltic Sea: Revealing tastes from the past

PubMed Central

Jeandet, Philippe; Heinzmann, Silke S.; Roullier-Gall, Chloé; Cilindre, Clara; Aron, Alissa; Deville, Marie Alice; Moritz, Franco; Karbowiak, Thomas; Demarville, Dominique; Brun, Cyril; Moreau, Fabienne; Michalke, Bernhard; Liger-Belair, Gérard; Witting, Michael; Lucio, Marianna; Steyer, Damien; Gougeon, Régis D.; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe

2015-01-01

Archaeochemistry as the application of the most recent analytical techniques to ancient samples now provides an unprecedented understanding of human culture throughout history. In this paper, we report on a multiplatform analytical investigation of 170-y-old champagne bottles found in a shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, which provides insight into winemaking practices used at the time. Organic spectroscopy-based nontargeted metabolomics and metallomics give access to the detailed composition of these wines, revealing, for instance, unexpected chemical characteristics in terms of small ion, sugar, and acid contents as well as markers of barrel aging and Maillard reaction products. The distinct aroma composition of these ancient champagne samples, first revealed during tasting sessions, was later confirmed using state-of-the-art aroma analysis techniques. After 170 y of deep sea aging in close-to-perfect conditions, these sleeping champagne bottles awoke to tell us a chapter of the story of winemaking and to reveal their extraordinary archaeometabolome and elemental diversity in the form of chemical signatures related to each individual step of champagne production. PMID:25897020

Chemical messages in 170-year-old champagne bottles from the Baltic Sea: Revealing tastes from the past.

PubMed

Jeandet, Philippe; Heinzmann, Silke S; Roullier-Gall, Chloé; Cilindre, Clara; Aron, Alissa; Deville, Marie Alice; Moritz, Franco; Karbowiak, Thomas; Demarville, Dominique; Brun, Cyril; Moreau, Fabienne; Michalke, Bernhard; Liger-Belair, Gérard; Witting, Michael; Lucio, Marianna; Steyer, Damien; Gougeon, Régis D; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe

2015-05-12

Archaeochemistry as the application of the most recent analytical techniques to ancient samples now provides an unprecedented understanding of human culture throughout history. In this paper, we report on a multiplatform analytical investigation of 170-y-old champagne bottles found in a shipwreck at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, which provides insight into winemaking practices used at the time. Organic spectroscopy-based nontargeted metabolomics and metallomics give access to the detailed composition of these wines, revealing, for instance, unexpected chemical characteristics in terms of small ion, sugar, and acid contents as well as markers of barrel aging and Maillard reaction products. The distinct aroma composition of these ancient champagne samples, first revealed during tasting sessions, was later confirmed using state-of-the-art aroma analysis techniques. After 170 y of deep sea aging in close-to-perfect conditions, these sleeping champagne bottles awoke to tell us a chapter of the story of winemaking and to reveal their extraordinary archaeometabolome and elemental diversity in the form of chemical signatures related to each individual step of champagne production.

Evaluation of the Snap Sampler for Sampling Ground Water Monitoring Wells for Inorganic Analytes

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

08-25 3 Accumulation samplers rely on both diffusion through a membrane and then sorption by some type of sorbent material that is contained in the...the materials in the sampler to equilibrate with the analytes in the well water thereby prevent- ing losses of analytes due to sorption by the sampler...The spring in the bottles is coated with perfluoroalkoxy ( PFA ) (Teflon) and is connected to PFA end caps at both ends of the bottle. Currently

Hardware and Procedures for Using the Diveair2 Monitor to Test Diving Air Quality in the Field

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

Dive System ( LWDS ), and the Fly- Away Dive System (FADS); b. one pressure-reducing regulator (“reducer”) mounted on the inside of the lid of the...1. compressors and air banks, 6 2. scuba bottles that had already been charged, 3. the Navy’s LWDS , both during and after charging, and...site where the charging whip attaches to that scuba bottle. c. A LWDS adaptor, to allow air from the LWDS to be sampled both during and after

Gas composition of the January 1983 eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenland, L.P.

1984-01-01

Gas collections were made from a ???900??C vent both by conventional evacuated-bottle/wet-chemical techniques and by manual pumping of flowthrough bottles. The complete analyses suggest an equilibrium assemblage quenched at 1,010??C, about midway between fountain and vent temperatures. I suggest that the very low C S ratio is due to degassing of CO2 during storage of the magma in a shallow reservoir before eruption. The two sampling techniques yielded analytical data in mutual agreement. ?? 1984.

Evaluation of the Solar Water Disinfection Method Using an Ultraviolet Measurement Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, H.

2015-12-01

Drinking water security is a growing problem for the population of planet Earth. According to WHO, more than 750 million people on our planet lack access to safe drinking water, resulting in approximately 502,000 diarrhoea deaths in 2012. In order to solve this problem, the Swiss water research institute, Eawag, has developed a method of solar water disinfection, called, "SODIS" The theory of SODIS is simple to understand: a clear plastic bottle filled with water is placed under full sunlight for at least 6 hours. The ultraviolet radiation kills the pathogens in the water, making the originally contaminated water safe for drinking. In order to improve this method, Helioz, an Austrian social enterprise, has created the WADI, a UV measurement device which determines when water is safe for drinking using the SODIS method. When using the WADI, the device should be placed under the sun and surrounded with bottles of water that need to be decontaminated. There is a UV sensor on the WADI, and since the bottles of water and the WADI will have equal exposure to sunlight, the WADI will be able to measure the impact of the sunlight on the contaminated water. This experiment tests the accuracy of the WADI device regarding the time interval needed for contaminated water to be disinfected. The experiment involves using the SODIS method to purify bottles of water contaminated with controlled samples of E. coli. Samples of the water are taken at different time intervals, and the E. coli levels are determined by growing the bacteria from the water samples on agar plates. Ultimately, this helps determine when the water is safe for drinking, and are compared against the WADI's measurements to test the reliability of the device.

HPLC study of migration of terephthalic acid and isophthalic acid from PET bottles into edible oils.

PubMed

Khaneghah, Amin Mousavi; Limbo, Sara; Shoeibi, Shahram; Mazinani, Somayeh

2014-08-01

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers for food oil packaging were evaluated with a newly established determination method for terephthalic acid (TPA) and isophthalic acid (IPA). The analysis of monomers, TPA and IPA that migrate from PET bottles into oils was performed using high-pressure liquid chromatography with a diode array detector. Three types of commercial oils (sunflower oil, canola oil and blended oil which included sunflower oil, soy bean oil and cottonseed oil) were bottled in PET containers. These samples were incubated for 10 days at 49 °C as accelerated test condition. The means of recovery for this method varied from 70% to 72% and from 101% to 111% for TPA and IPA, respectively. The results showed that the amounts of specific migration of TPA and IPA into the samples conform to European Union legislation that identifies specific migration limits. More important, the results highlighted a different behavior of migration as a function of the fatty acid profile. Previous investigations have been performed with food simulants such as HB307 or 20% ethanol but our study used real food samples and determined trace amounts of the migrated compounds. Further investigation will be needed to better explain the influence of fatty acid conformation on migration of PET monomers. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Uricosuric effect of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in normal and renal-stone former subjects.

PubMed

Prasongwatana, Vitoon; Woottisin, Surachet; Sriboonlue, Pote; Kukongviriyapan, Veerapol

2008-05-22

The Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) was investigated for its uricosuric effect. A human model with nine subjects with no history of renal stones (non-renal stone, NS) and nine with a history of renal stones (RS) was used in this study. A cup of tea made from 1.5 g of dry Roselle calyces was provided to subjects twice daily (morning and evening) for 15 days. A clotted blood and two consecutive 24-h urine samples were collected from each subject three times: (1) at baseline (control); (2) on days 14 and 15 during the tea drinking period; and (3) 15 days after the tea drinking was stopped (washout). Serum and 24-h urinary samples were analyzed for uric acid and other chemical compositions related to urinary stone risk factors. All analyzed serum parameters were within normal ranges and similar; between the two groups of subjects and among the three periods. Vis-à-vis the urinary parameters, most of the baseline values for both groups were similar. After taking the tea, the trend was an increase in oxalate and citrate in both groups and uric acid excretion and clearance in the NS group. In the RS group, both uric acid excretion and clearance were significantly increased (p<0.01). When the fractional excretion of uric acid (FEUa) was calculated, the values were clearly increased in both the NS and SF groups after the intake of tea and returned to baseline values in the washout period. These changes were more clearly observed when the data for each subject was presented individually. Our data demonstrate a uricosuric effect of Roselle calyces. Since the various chemical constituents in Roselle calyces have been identified, the one(s) exerting this uricosuric effect need to be identified.

Efficiency of Different Sampling Tools for Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Collections in Malaysian Streams

PubMed Central

Ghani, Wan Mohd Hafezul Wan Abdul; Rawi, Che Salmah Md; Hamid, Suhaila Abd; Al-Shami, Salman Abdo

2016-01-01

This study analyses the sampling performance of three benthic sampling tools commonly used to collect freshwater macroinvertebrates. Efficiency of qualitative D-frame and square aquatic nets were compared to a quantitative Surber sampler in tropical Malaysian streams. The abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates collected using each tool evaluated along with their relative variations (RVs). Each tool was used to sample macroinvertebrates from three streams draining different areas: a vegetable farm, a tea plantation and a forest reserve. High macroinvertebrate diversities were recorded using the square net and Surber sampler at the forested stream site; however, very low species abundance was recorded by the Surber sampler. Relatively large variations in the Surber sampler collections (RVs of 36% and 28%) were observed for the vegetable farm and tea plantation streams, respectively. Of the three sampling methods, the square net was the most efficient, collecting a greater diversity of macroinvertebrate taxa and a greater number of specimens (i.e., abundance) overall, particularly from the vegetable farm and the tea plantation streams (RV<25%). Fewer square net sample passes (<8 samples) were sufficient to perform a biological assessment of water quality, but each sample required a slightly longer processing time (±20 min) compared with those gathered via the other samplers. In conclusion, all three apparatuses were suitable for macroinvertebrate collection in Malaysian streams and gathered assemblages that resulted in the determination of similar biological water quality classes using the Family Biotic Index (FBI) and the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP). However, despite a slightly longer processing time, the square net was more efficient (lowest RV) at collecting samples and more suitable for the collection of macroinvertebrates from deep, fast flowing, wadeable streams with coarse substrates. PMID:27019685

The Problem of Sample Contamination in a Fluvial Geochemistry Research Experience for Undergraduates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Charles B.

2001-01-01

Introduces the analysis of a river as an excellent way to teach geochemical techniques because of the relative ease of sample collection and speed of sample analysis. Focuses on the potential sources of sample contamination during sampling, filtering, and bottle cleaning processes, and reviews methods to reduce and detect contamination. Includes…

Comparison of methods for measuring atmospheric deposition of arsenic, cadmium, nickel and lead.

PubMed

Aas, Wenche; Alleman, Laurent Y; Bieber, Elke; Gladtke, Dieter; Houdret, Jean-Luc; Karlsson, Vuokko; Monies, Christian

2009-06-01

A comprehensive field intercomparison at four different types of European sites (two rural, one urban and one industrial) comparing three different collectors (wet only, bulk and Bergerhoff samplers) was conducted in the framework of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to create an European standard for the deposition of the four elements As, Cd, Ni and Pb. The purpose was to determine whether the proposed methods lead to results within the uncertainty required by the EU's daughter directive (70%). The main conclusion is that a different sampling strategy is needed for rural and industrial sites. Thus, the conclusions on uncertainties and sample approach are presented separately for the different approaches. The wet only and bulk collector ("bulk bottle method") are comparable at wet rural sites where the total deposition arises mainly from precipitation, the expanded uncertainty when comparing these two types of sampler are below 45% for As, Cd and Pb, 67% for Ni. At industrial sites and possibly very dry rural and urban sites it is necessary to use Bergerhoff samplers or a "bulk bottle+funnel method". It is not possible to address the total deposition estimation with these methods, but they will give the lowest estimate of the total deposition. The expanded uncertainties when comparing the Bergerhoff and the bulk bottle+funnel methods are below 50% for As and Cd, and 63% for Pb. The uncertainty for Ni was not addressed since the bulk bottle+funnel method did not include a full digestion procedure which is necessary for sites with high loads of undissolved metals. The lowest estimate can however be calculated by comparing parallel Bergerhoff samplers where the expanded uncertainty for Ni was 24%. The reproducibility is comparable to the between sampler/method uncertainties. Sampling and sample preparation were proved to be the main factors in the uncertainty budget of deposition measurements.

MALDI-TOF identification of Gram-negative bacteria directly from blood culture bottles containing charcoal: Sepsityper® kits versus centrifugation-filtration method.

PubMed

Riederer, Kathleen; Cruz, Kristian; Shemes, Stephen; Szpunar, Susan; Fishbain, Joel T

2015-06-01

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry has dramatically altered the way microbiology laboratories identify clinical isolates. Direct blood culture (BC) detection may be hampered, however, by the presence of charcoal in BC bottles currently in clinical use. This study evaluates an in-house process for extraction and MALDI-TOF identification of Gram-negative bacteria directly from BC bottles containing charcoal. Three hundred BC aliquots were extracted by a centrifugation-filtration method developed in our research laboratory with the first 96 samples processed in parallel using Sepsityper® kits. Controls were colonies from solid media with standard phenotypic and MALDI-TOF identification. The identification of Gram-negative bacteria was successful more often via the in-house method compared to Sepsityper® kits (94.7% versus 78.1%, P≤0.0001). Our in-house centrifugation-filtration method was further validated for isolation and identification of Gram-negative bacteria (95%; n=300) directly from BC bottles containing charcoal. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stability of pyrimethamine in a liquid dosage formulation stored for three months.

PubMed

Nahata, M C; Morosco, R S; Hipple, T F

1997-12-01

The stability of pyrimethamine in a liquid dosage formulation stored for up to three months was studies. Commercially available 25-mg pyrimethamine tablets were crushed with a mortar and pestle and mixed with a 1:1 mixture of Simple Syrup, NF, and 1% methylcellulose to yield a suspension with a pyrimethamine concentration of 2 mg/mL. The suspension was poured into 10 amber plastic and 10 amber glass prescription bottles; 5 plastic and 5 glass bottles were stored at 4 degrees C, and the remaining bottles were kept at 25 degrees C. Samples were collected at intervals up to 91 days and tested for pyrimethamine concentration by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. Pyrimethamine remained stable throughout the three-month study period under all conditions. At 4 degrees C, pyrimethamine concentrations remained above 96% of the initial concentration; at 25 degrees C, pyrimethamine concentrations remained above 91%. No substantial changes in pH were observed. Pyrimethamine was stable for at least 91 days in an oral suspension stored in plastic or glass prescription bottles at 4 or 25 degrees C.

Trends in Joint Replacement Surgery in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Young, Bradley L; Watson, Shawna L; Perez, Jorge L; McGwin, Gerald; Singh, Jasvinder A; Ponce, Brent A

2018-02-01

This study analyzed trends in large total joint arthroplasties (TJA) and in the proportion of these procedures performed on patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002-2012) was used to identify the incidences of total shoulder (TSA), elbow (TEA), knee (TKA), hip (THA), and ankle (TAA) arthroplasty and the proportion of these performed with coexisting RA. The prevalence of RA among patients with TJA increased 3.0%. The prevalence of RA among cases of TEA and TSA decreased by 50% (p < 0.0001) and 18% (p = 0.0016), respectively; a 38.0% decrease occurred in the prevalence of RA among TAA (p = 0.06); and nonsignificant increases were seen among THA and TKA. The average age difference between RA and non-RA patients undergoing TJA narrowed by 2 years (p < 0.0001). There was a greater reduction in the proportion of TSA, TEA, and TAA groups among women with RA than men with RA. In the TSA and TEA groups, there was a reduction in the proportion of whites with RA, but not blacks. The proportion of privately insured TSA and TAA patients with RA decreased, while patients with RA undergoing TSA, TEA, or TAA who were receiving Medicaid (government medical insurance) remained relatively stable over time. The prevalence of RA has decreased among TSA and TEA patients. A nonsignificant decline occurred among TAA patients. The average age of TJA patients with RA is beginning to mirror those without RA. Sex ratios for TSA, TEA, and TAA patients are following a similar pattern. These results may be evidence of the success of modern RA treatment strategies.

46 CFR 153.935a - Storage of cargo samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Operations General Vessel Safety...: (1) A designated and ventilated space in the cargo area of the vessel; or (2) An area approved by the... to the cargo samples; and (3) Apart from other sample bottles containing incompatible liquids (See...

46 CFR 153.935a - Storage of cargo samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Operations General Vessel Safety...: (1) A designated and ventilated space in the cargo area of the vessel; or (2) An area approved by the... to the cargo samples; and (3) Apart from other sample bottles containing incompatible liquids (See...

46 CFR 153.935a - Storage of cargo samples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... CARRYING BULK LIQUID, LIQUEFIED GAS, OR COMPRESSED GAS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Operations General Vessel Safety...: (1) A designated and ventilated space in the cargo area of the vessel; or (2) An area approved by the... to the cargo samples; and (3) Apart from other sample bottles containing incompatible liquids (See...